Attendance Policy

Absence

Absence from school will be pardoned for serious illness or serious family emergency (i.e. death in family). The school other than the above will not excuse absences from school for any other reason. If a student is absent the following procedure is to be followed:

The parent or guardian of the student must call the school before 10:00 a.m. on the first morning and each morning thereafter. Telephone: 718-743-6100.
Upon returning to school the student must report to the office and receive a re-admit to class pass before 8:15AM. Receiving a re-admit pass is not a justifiable excuse for being late for class. Students who are late for class because they did not get a re-admit pass at the proper time will receive detention.
Absence for 5 consecutive days will require a doctor's note before a re-admit to class pass will be issued.
Absence is never considered a justifiable excuse for missing assignments and test preparation. Students are responsible for making up all assignments.
Any grade of incomplete issued for excused absences will be automatically changed to an "F" within ten days of the student's return to school or at the end of the school year.

Excessive Absences

Students who have reached 20 absences for any reason during the school year will have to meet with the Assistant Principal or an Academic Dean, along with a parent to explain the poor attendance. Unless the student can prove these absences are ther result of a serious illness, a student who accumulates more than 20 absences may be required to make up the time missed at the discretion of the Assistant Principal or they will not be granted course credit. Parents must advise the school if they expect their child may be out of school for an extended period of time.

Lateness

St. Edmund Prep takes pride in teaching students the importance of arriving to school promptly. Students should be in the building by 8:00 AM. This will give the student enough time to organize their books and assignments for the day. Students who show up late for school will have to serve detention.

A student is considered late for school or for an assigned class if he/she is not at his/her desk, ready to work when the late bell rings. Any student who is late must obtain a late pass from the office and serve detention on the same day.

Excessive Lateness

A letter will be sent home to any parent of a student who is late for school FIVE times in one quarter. If the student is late THREE times after the letter is sent home, the school will request an immediate conference with the parents to determine a solution to this problem. Failure to attend an appointment arranged by the school will most likely result in the student's suspension from classes.

Students who arrive after 9:00AM will have to serve TWO detentions. It will be treated as a cut. Students who miss their first two classes of the day, without notification from a parent, will be treated the same as a student who has cut two classes. Students will not receive credit for the missed class.

Cutting a Class

Failure on the part of a student to attend a designated class without the permission of an administrator or faculty member will constitute a cut. For the first offense the penalty will be decided by the Assistant Principal. Ordinarily the penalty is a double detention.

For a second offense the parent/guardian must attend a meeting with the Assistant Principal before the student may be readmitted to school. The consequences for a second offense will be decided at the parent conference. Any subsequent cutting will result in a student being dropped from any and all classes with a failure.

In the event that a teacher is absent or late for class, all students must remain in good order in the class until directed by an adult.

During class time students may not be in the halls without a proper pass. Students are not to be at their loker without a proper note from a teacher. Students found at their locker without appropriate permission will be given detention. Once a student is in the building he/she must remain in the building until officially dismissed.

Closing of School

SEP students and faculty will be advised of school closings and other emergencies via an automated telephone notification system. Therefore, please make every effort to ensure that home, business, and cell phone numbers on record with the school are current. Students can also log on to the school's website at www.stedmundprep.org for information. St. Edmund Prep will always close when the New York City Public High Schools are closed.

Buddy Day Passes

Any student who wishes to be a buddy for a day for a relative or friend (who is currently in 8th grade) must follow the following guidelines:

The parent of the relative or friend must call the Office of Admissions to set up a date.
The relative or friend spending the day at SEP will be responsible to abide by the rules and regulations of the school. The buddy will be accountable for the behavior of his/her guest.