Board adopts 3‑day grace period for written excuses in attendance policy

The Catawba County Board of Education voted unanimously to approve revisions to attendance policy 4.3 that give parents a three‑day grace period to submit a written excuse after a student returns to school.

Under the revised language approved by the board, parents’ handwritten or signed notes will continue to be accepted for up to five absences per semester for high school students and up to ten absences per school year for elementary and middle school students. Absences beyond those limits must be documented with written documentation from a doctor, dentist or court official in order to be coded as excused, district staff said during the presentation.

The policy presenter explained the two specific options discussed by staff: keep the status quo (notes due the day the student returns) or adopt a three‑day allowance. Staff noted that principals sometimes already exercised discretion to accept later notes, but codifying a three‑day grace period would formalize the practice and reduce parental burden. Board members acknowledged that the change could increase administrative work because school staff might need to change absence coding after receiving late notes.

After discussion, a board member moved to approve the proposed amendments with the explicit three‑day period for returning written excuses; the motion carried unanimously.

Why it matters: The amendment clarifies expectations for parents and schools and reduces immediate procedural pressure on families while preserving administrators’ authority to require professional documentation for repeated absences.

Implementation note: Board members asked staff to monitor whether the three‑day allowance creates an excessive administrative burden and to report back if problems arise.