An A+ participant is expected to attend school regularly and must graduate with a cumulative (Grades 9-12) attendance rate of 95% or higher. A senior who chooses to graduate early in December must meet all requirements at the end time of fall semester 

Generally, there are 175 student attendance days per school year.  Based on this number, a student who exceeds 34 absences over 4 years will have less than 95% attendance and will therefore not qualify for A+ reimbursement.  Absences verified with medical documentation will be removed for A+ purposes.  Attendance is averaged and cumulative over 4 years.  Students who miss over 8 days per year (or a cumulative absence total exceeding 34 days) may appeal those in excess of the requirement, provided extenuating circumstances were involved.  Any student transferring to Republic High School who is ineligible because of attendance from their sending school will also be considered ineligible at Republic High School.

The A+ Program makes no distinction between Verified and Unverified absences. Many Verified absences, including those which a parent or school official is aware of in advance, count against the student’s attendance average. Student absences for vacation, family emergency, funeral, or short-term illnesses do not qualify a student to have that absence waived 

A doctor’s note, in which a doctor has stated in written form that the student was seen in the doctor’s office and must be absent from school due to doctor’s orders, is the only absence that may be waived for A+ attendance. A parent/guardian must contact the A+ Coordinator when extenuating circumstances such as health problems or accident-related injuries may cause a student to miss at least 10 consecutive days or more, so that Homebound Instruction can begin immediately. A student who qualifies for Homebound Instruction is coded on school records as being present.

The following absences count against the student’s attendance average:

• Routine/ordinary illnesses                          

• Work/Job interviews                                  

• Personal/family travel or vacations             

• Personal transportation problems/Weather-related transportation

• Weddings/Funerals

• Non-school sponsored activities:

The following absences do not count against the student’s attendance average in meeting the 95% A+ requirement:

• Absences coded as school-sponsored activities

• Absences coded as pre-approved, documented college visits (up to one per junior year, up to two per senior year)

• Absences coded as part of a disability accommodation plan

• Absences coded as RHS District-provided Homebound Instruction (a minimum of 10 consecutive days are required to apply for this)

• Absences accompanied with an authorized Doctor’s note (manually waived)

An Appeal may only be filed for a citizenship violation or an attendance review. No appeals are allowed for grade point average.

In reviewing a student’s final attendance average, the entire attendance history (Grades 9-12) is considered. An A+ participant must have a cumulative attendance rate of 95% at the time of graduation. A student with 94.9999% or lower will not qualify for eligibility since the attendance average is not rounded up.

If the A+ participant’s attendance falls below 95%, but has provided authorized Doctor’s notes, the hourly absences will be manually transferred to a daily attendance of no more than 34 days missed over the cumulative four years (Grades 9-12). A student with 34.01 days missed will not qualify for eligibility.

After exceeding 8 days of absences in one year (or exceeding a cumulative 34 days of absences), a parent or student may file an appeal for an attendance review.  The request for appeal must be in writing  (either a letter or email) to the A+ Coordinator.  Only absences involving extreme extenuating circumstances will be considered, such as extensive medical needs, funerals, and court/legal matters.  Verification letters from the appropriate agencies including specific dates and times from which the student should be considered waived, must be provided.  Waivers may not be issued for absences that include truancy, skipping classes, vacation, transportation problems, school suspensions, work, driver’s test, and non-emergency situations.

• A parent/guardian or student must submit a written request for appeal, through either a letter or email, to the A+ Coordinator.  When the written request is received, a review committee will meet to determine if a waiver for absences for A+ status will be granted.  

• If a waiver is granted, the appealed days remain a part of a student’s A+ attendance record but those absences accepted for waiver will not be calculated as part of the 95% attendance for A+ status.

• After the committee has reviewed the appeal and reached a decision, the A+ Coordinator will notify the Parents/Guardians by letter. The decision of the Appeals Committee is final.