In an effort to cut down on student absenteeism, Pelham school officials have crafted an attendance policy for the high school.

Each student would be allowed five unexcused absences per semester with the new policy.

Six types of exemptions would be allowed: absences covered by a doctor’s note, bereavement, documented court-ordered appearances, serious family emergencies, one religious holiday, and school sponsored or approved college visits and field trips.

The policy was created by a committee of parents, school employees and students. Its latest version was presented to the Pelham school board on March 28.

Administrators at the high school want to lower the high number of absences at the school.

One statistic that has been shared at the school is that 35 percent of students had six to 14 absences during the second semester of the 2005-06 school year.

“To me, it’s a step we’re trying to take to correct some problems,” said school board member Bruce Couture.

Under the policy:

• Appeals for absences to be considered exempt should be submitted to the principal prior to being absent or within two days of returning to school.

• Three tardies to class will count as an absence. So, too, will being late more than 15 minutes to class. Students will receive credit for work completed during the remaining class time.

• Students should make up their work within a time equal to the absence.

• Students who have exempted absences will be allowed to make up their work. Previously assigned work, including exams, papers, projects and presentations, are due on the day of return.

• No make-up work will be allowed for absences beyond the permitted five days except for absences that met the exemption criteria. All missed work will be available to students but no grade will be assigned to it.

• A student who has a passing grade in a class and more than five absences, excluding exemptions, at the time of the course’s final exam will receive the grade he or she earned for the course.

• If a student has a failing grade and more than five absences, excluding exemptions, at the time of the final exam, the student is still allowed to take the final exam.

• If the student earns at least a 70, he or she will receive a “pass” for the course. The “pass” will not figure into his or her grade point average and will not count toward eligibility to participate in extracurricular activities.

In addition to the policy, there are procedures for teachers and for appeals. The principal will speak with the student or parent within two days of receiving an appeal and must act within two days of the conversation.

Parents will be notified by teachers of absences through a computer portal, progress reports and report cards.

Couture joined Eleanor Burton and Michael Conrad in supporting the policy. Linda Mahoney and Cindy Kyzer voted against it.

Mahoney said parents shouldn’t have to go through a bureaucratic appeal process when their child is home with a cold.

Couture supported the policy after getting the board to drop a requirement that bereavements and family emergencies be documented, as originally written in the policy.

“They both can be very trying times for the families,” Couture said. “Not too many people I know will lie about bereavement. Not too many people lie about a house caught on fire or they had a serious family illness. I don’t think we should ask people to document those two particular cases.”

The vote on the policy was part of the board’s first reading of it. A second reading of the policy will be done at the board’s April 11 meeting. The school board could take a final vote that night.

Burton said parents have a responsibility to make sure their children are in school.

“For the school to ask why the student isn’t there – I don’t think that’s an infringement at all,” she said.