Board tackles sick days vs. extracurricular days
By Suzanne Werre, BHG News Service
It took quite a bit of discussion, but the Underwood School Board approved the revised elementary and secondary student handbooks. At issue was the question of absenteeism and how it affects whether or not a student can be exempt from semester tests, and if anyone should be exempt at all. The board eventually voted unanimously to accept the handbook as submitted by administration, but not without discussion about absenteeism, particularly when comparing a student missing class because he or she is sick or has medical appointments, to students who miss class because of extracurricular activities. To be exempt from a semester test, the student must have a 90 percent average in the class, may not have any unexcused absences from that class, and may not miss more than five classes in a course. As presented, and approved with the vote, the handbook reads “a maximum of five medical absences per course per semester may be used by each student,” or the student will be required to take a semester test in that course.
