The next meeting of the Opelika City Schools Board of Education will be Tuesday, February 28 at 4:00 p.m. at the Board of Education office, 300 Simmons Street. For more information, please contact Becky Brown, Public Relations Coordinator, 334-524-9720.

Effective with the 2011-12 academic year, the Opelika City Schools attendance guidelines have been modified to include a change regarding the number of parental excuses accepted per school year.

Parental Excuses

A maximum of (10) days will be excused with parental notes per school year; after which, a doctor/court excuse is required in order for an absence to be excused. In the event the absentee limit has been reached, it is the responsibility of the student and his/her parent to provide documentation and request a conference with the principal regarding the excessive absenteeism. The principal may make exceptions in cases of extended illnesses, accidents, hospital confinement, principal directed absences, or other prearranged cases as justified in writing or by parent conference. In the event a request is made to have an absence prearranged, the principal will consider the student's academic performance and attendance record. Please note: Suspension, expulsion, and truancy will be considered an unexcused absence, and the student may receive a zero for work missed.

OCS ATTENDANCE POLICY (from the OCS Code of Student Conduct) Regular attendance is essential for good schoolwork. When returning to school following an absence, a student must present a statement from parent/guardian explaining the absence to the appropriate school official. This should be done on the date the student returns and must be done by the third day to make up the work missed, (failure to bring a note by the third day will result in a zero for the work missed unless extenuating circumstances prevent this.) Suspension, expulsion, and truancy will be considered an unexcused absence, and the student will receive a zero for all work missed. Reference: Policy # J-2.