SCHOOL & OFFICE HOURS
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Grade Level
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Hours
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3K - 5K Full Day
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8 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.
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1st – 2nd Grade
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8 a.m. - 2:45 p.m.
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3rd - 5th Grade
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8 a.m. - 2:55 p.m.
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6th – 12th Grade
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8 a.m. - 3:05 p.m.
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All classrooms will open at 7:45 a.m., and students will be permitted to enter. School begins at 8:00 a.m.
The school office is open from 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., except on weekends, holidays and scheduled half days during the school year.
ELEMENTARY ATTENDANCE
One of the areas of utmost importance in the learning process is attendance. In order for your student(s) to fully benefit from the academic program and be successful, good attendance and punctuality are essential.
ABSENCES
Parents are discouraged from keeping their students out of school for reasons other than illness, medical appointments, or family emergencies. FCS discourages taking school time off for family trips. School work can be provided by the teacher in the event of a planned absence, but teachers must be given a minimum of 3 day's notice to prepare assignments.
In the event of an absence, the parent should notify the office by email at attendance@floridachristian.org of the reason for the student's absence. In the case of a medical appointment, please provide a note from the doctor's office upon the student's return to school. Parents will have up to one week to submit a doctor’s note or any other note to the attendance office. If the student is being taken out during the day for a medical appointment or emergency, please sign the student out through the front office. Extended absences related to illness require a doctor's letter of verification.
In the event of illness, students may not return to school until they are fever-free for 24 hours. A doctor's note is required after the 3rd consecutive absence in order to return to school. Students with any type of infectious illness or condition, such as viruses, or childhood communicable diseases, must receive proper medical treatment before returning to class.
In the event the student receives an excused absence from the attendance office, the student may make-up classwork and will have as many days as they were excused plus one, to make up the work. If the student is absent one day prior to a test, the student must take the test the day he/she returns, unless given special permission by the teacher. The student must make up the test within two days of returning to school.
Excessive Absences: Students who accumulate 10 or more unexcused absences or more than 18 total absences during a school year may be subject to an administrative review. Based on this review, a student may be considered for retention (non-promotion to the next grade level) and/or may be deemed ineligible for re-enrollment for the following school year.
Students who are absent from school will be marked in one of four categories:
Unexcused (AU) – Student misses an entire day(s) of school and does not present a note from a parent OR a note from a doctor. Students in this category will not be permitted to make up any work missed because of the absence.
Unexcused with Note (AUN) – Student misses an entire day(s) of school and presents a note from a parent within a week of the first day of absence. Students in this category will be permitted to make up any work missed because of the absence, but the absence will be unexcused. When a student exceeds 4 or more unexcused absences in a quarter (grading period), it is considered a Category 1 infraction under the 'Student Conduct' disciplinary system in the FCS Parent Student Handbook and will receive 1 demerit and a Behavior Notice sent to parents via email. Any elementary student who receives 3 or more demerits within a school year for excessive unexcused absences may receive detention. Continued absences may result in the student not being eligible to return for the next school year. Please be advised that tardies and absences are reported on your child's report card.
Excused (AE) – Student misses an entire day(s) of school and presents a doctor’s note. Students in this category will be permitted to make up any work missed because of the absence.
Early Dismissal (AUN) – After 2:30 pm, parents are not allowed to pick up their student for early dismissal unless a doctor’s note is provided.
TARDIES
Elementary students arriving late must be accompanied by a parent in order to receive a tardy slip. School begins at 8:00 a.m.; however, classrooms open at 7:45 a.m. and we strongly recommend students arrive at that time to prepare for the day. At 8:00 a.m., classroom doors will be locked. Any student not present in their classroom is considered tardy and the student must be taken to the front office to receive the tardy slip for admittance into the classroom.
Students who are tardy to school will be marked in one of two categories:
Excused Tardies: Students are permitted 3 excused tardies per grading period. A student is considered tardy for a class if he or she is not in the classroom when the tardy bell rings. Only a note from the parent will constitute an excused tardy up to 3 tardies per grading period (quarter). Starting with the 4th tardy during a grading period, only a doctor's note will be counted as an excused tardy.
Unexcused Tardies: When a student exceeds 7 or more tardies in a quarter (grading period), it is considered a Category 1 infraction under the 'Student Conduct' disciplinary system in the FCS Parent Student Handbook and will receive 1 demerit and a Behavior Notice sent to parents via email. Any elementary student who receives 3 or more demerits within a school year for excessive tardiness may receive detention. Continued tardies may result in the student not being eligible to return for the next school year. Please be advised that tardies and absences are reported on your child's report card. Students in Kindergarten (5K) through 5th grade who accumulate 20 or more unexcused tardies during a school year may be subject to an administrative review. Based on this review, a student may be considered for retention (non-promotion to the next grade level) and/or may be deemed ineligible for re-enrollment for the following school year.
ELEMENTARY BEFORE & AFTER-SCHOOL CARE
A supervised Before-School Care program is offered at no charge. Students may be dropped off as early as 7:00 a.m. Before-School Care is offered only to 3K-2nd grade students, as they are not permitted on the school property unsupervised before school. 3K- 2nd grade students are to be dropped off at the West Campus cafeteria for our Before-School Care program. At 7:45 a.m., all 3K-2nd grade Before Care students will be escorted to their classrooms by an authorized staff member. 3rd-5th grade are required to wait near their classroom door until 7:45 a.m. when doors open.
A supervised After-School Care program is offered until 6:00 p.m. for all 3K-5th grade students. An additional fee is charged and is to be paid in advance with the regular school tuition. For After- School Care rates and information, please refer to the Tuition & Fees form which can be found under the Admissions tab on the school website. Preschool/elementary students are not permitted on the school property unsupervised after school. If your preschool/elementary student is not picked up by their designated dismissal time, they will be checked in to the After-School Care program, and you will be charged accordingly. The program is not available during certain holidays such as Thanksgiving, Christmas, or spring break, as well as some Teacher Work Days. Please make sure to stay up to date with school communication for all After-School Care updates.
Students may only be picked up by individuals designated by the parent/guardian on the child’s authorized ‘Pick-Up’ list in Renweb. Students picking-up their younger preschool/elementary sibling must minimally be in 9th grade, be on the child’s authorized ‘Pick-Up’ list in Renweb and must always remain with the child while on campus. It is the parent’s responsibility to always maintain accurate and up-to-date information in their child’s Renweb portal.
MIDDLE SCHOOL & HIGH SCHOOL ATTENDANCE
Consistent attendance is a cornerstone of student achievement and personal growth. Each school day offers important opportunities for instruction, collaboration, and skill development that cannot be fully recreated outside the classroom. Frequent absences can hinder understanding, weaken academic performance, and disrupt the learning environment for both the student and their peers. Establishing reliable attendance patterns also builds responsibility and prepares students for future commitments. Families are encouraged to support regular attendance as a shared priority in the educational journey.
Excused Absences: Students will only be granted an EXCUSED absence for one of the following conditions:
· Medical emergency or death in the immediate family.
· Medical appointment accompanied by a physician’s note. (Note must be presented within 48 hours.)
· Mandatory court appearance
· Administrative approval for school or other activity (including two days per year for college visits during the Junior and Senior years only.)
· Parent Note – In addition to the above, parents/guardians may submit a written note to request that a student's absence for one school day be excused. A maximum of two parent notes per semester will be accepted, with each note excusing one day of absence. These notes must be submitted within 48 hours of the absence.
Unexcused Absences: All other absences, regardless of reason, will be considered an UNEXCUSED absence.
NOTE: For the purposes of this policy, a student who accumulates an unexcused absence in seven class periods, whether in a single day or across multiple days, will be considered to have one (1) day of unexcused absence.
Absence Academic Policy
Students will be allowed the number of days they missed plus one additional day upon return to school, to make up assignments, unless given special permission by their teacher. For example: If a student misses three consecutive days, they will have four days to make up their work.
· Parents will be notified via email when a student accumulates twenty-one (21) unexcused period absences (the equivalent of three full days of unexcused absences).
· Parents will be notified via email and a meeting with administration will be required after a student accumulates thirty-five (35) unexcused period absences (the equivalent of five full days of unexcused absences). In addition, the student may be declared ineligible to participate in future extracurricular activities at the discretion of the administration.
· After a student reaches thirty-five (35) combined unexcused period absences, the following academic penalties will apply for the remainder of the semester:
o The student will not be eligible to receive a grade higher than 50% on any assignments, quizzes, or assessments that are due or administered during the next two (2) unexcused absences in each class period.
o Beginning with the third (3rd) unexcused absence in each class period, the student will receive a 0% on any assignments, quizzes, or assessments that are due or administered during that unexcused absence.
· Students who accumulate forty-two (42) combined unexcused absences (the equivalent of six full days of unexcused absences) in the second semester will not be eligible to be exempt from end-of-year exams.
NOTE: This policy is administrative in nature and may not be modified or overridden by individual teachers. Any questions regarding grades assigned under this policy must be directed to the appropriate Division Principal.
Early Dismissal
Students who need to be dismissed from school early must be signed out at the main office or have a parent email the attendance office with permission. Students who are dismissed early from a class period, for any reason that is not excused (see above), and who will miss more than half the period, will be marked as “unexcused absent” for the class period during which they are dismissed, as well as for any additional class periods missed following the dismissal.
After 2:30 pm, parents are not allowed to pick up their student for early dismissal unless a doctor’s note is provided.
Student athletes must be present for a minimum of 4 class periods on the day of an athletic event to be eligible to participate in the event.
Tardies
Excused Tardies: Students who arrive to school after 8:00 a.m. with a note from a parent or doctor will be marked as EXCUSED tardy. The attendance office will determine the validity of the excuse (oversleeping and traffic issues will not be acceptable). All notes excusing a student from being tardy must be submitted to the attendance office within 24 hours.
Unexcused Tardies: All other tardies will be marked as UNEXCUSED. During the school day, students who arrive to class after the tardy bell will be marked as unexcused. Students who miss more than half a period due to an unexcused tardy, will be marked as an unexcused absence.
Parents will be notified after the 5th, 10th & 15th unexcused tardy. Please note the following consequences for excessive unexcused tardies in a semester:
· Five (5) unexcused tardies to any period will result in a behavior notice/demerits.
· Ten (10) unexcused tardies to any period will result in an after-school detention.
· Fifteen (15) unexcused tardies to any period will result in an Indoor Suspension.
· Twenty (20) or more unexcused tardies to any period will result in a two-day Indoor Suspension.
Students serving indoor suspensions or outdoor suspensions will be ineligible to participate in the next regularly scheduled contest in athletics and could be excluded from future extracurricular activities such as field day, field trips etc.
Outdoor suspensions will be recorded as unexcused absences and will be counted with other unexcused absences as listed in this manual, with the corresponding consequences.
The 25 Juniors with the top attendance and behavior record will be awarded a reserved parking space for their Senior Year. Seniors who exceed the seven (7) days of unexcused absence in a semester will forfeit their reserved Senior Parking Spot for the remainder of the year.
