An absence refers to a student not being present in school for a full block or missing 30 minutes or more of the block. Please report any absence from school to the appropriate House Office secretary prior to 9:00 AM. Voicemail is available outside of school hours. After an absence, students are required to provide the House Office with written verification upon his/her return to school.

Click to view: House Office Contact Information.

Please click to view: HCRHS Attendance Policy.


Please click to view: HCRHS Attendance Regulations.

Absences are accumulated on a block-by-block basis. The note provided should include the student's full name, student number, date and reason for absence. If a physician's note is available, it should also be forwarded to the house office. A physician's note is required for absences of 3 days or more. Documentation of chronic illness should be forwarded to the nurse's office and house office as soon as possible. If the absence is expected to exceed 5 days, please contact the student’s counselor as soon as possible to make appropriate arrangements.

Absences from class will be counted toward a specific limit based on the length of the course. Please note that in addition to full block absences, three tardies to any block will be counted as one absence. Any tardy in excess of 30 minutes will be considered an absence to the block. After a student reaches the allowed limit, a loss of credit will occur. An appeal process is in place for extenuating circumstances.

As indicated in the absence chart, a warning notice will be sent once the absence limit has reached the midpoint. Please note that we have a legal obligation to keep all parties informed. Attendance letters will be sent via regular mail even if documentation has been received for each absence.

Official notice and an appeal form will be sent should a loss of credit occur. Steps in the Appeal Process:

1. The student/parent/guardian is to complete the appeal form attaching any documentation not previously on file.
2. The appeal form is to be returned to the student's house office within 5 days of being notified of the loss of credit.
3. The vice-principal, school counselor and case manager (where applicable) will add any additional input necessary for consideration. The form is then forwarded to the Appeal Board.
4. The Appeal Board will convene at the end of each semester to review the documentation and make its recommendation to the principal.
5. The principal will make the final decision and the student will be notified of the outcome.

CUTTING/TRUANCY

Any student who is absent from class without authorization while being in attendance on the day of the absence shall be considered cutting. Truancy is an absence from school grounds for all or part of the day without authorization from the school or prior authorization from the parent to the House Office. With both infractions, school work (class work, tests or homework) may not be made up and will result in a zero grade. These absences will count as a loss of credit as listed below.

Students with parking privileges who are truant (leaving school grounds without permission) may lose their parking privileges.

Any subsequent incidents will be considered willful disobedience and open defiance (NJ 18A: 37-2). It will result in OSS and require a meeting with the principal. In addition, the school will notify the appropriate community agencies as required by law. Students who are truant during lunch will risk assignment to lunch detention for the remainder of the school year.

*Students in LOC will remain in the class until its conclusion.

Students seeking early dismissal for the day must bring written verification to their house office prior to the end of Block 1.

The school day extends from 7:35 AM to 2:03 PM. Students are expected to arrive promptly to each class during the course of the school day. Attendance is recorded on a block by block basis. In order to participate in extra curricular, co-curricular, or work study activities, a student is expected to attend all regularly scheduled classes for that day. Holiday/vacation/weekend participation requires attendance at school on the last day that school was in session prior to the holiday/vacation/weekend. This requirement will not apply if the absence is considered a Non-Cumulative absence.

Note: Students serving suspensions will not be allowed to participate in or attend any school activities for the duration of the suspension period.

Please click to view:

Bell Schedules for Hunterdon Central

The orderly conduct of class activity depends upon the prompt and precise beginning of the program. Tardiness hinders the proper conduct of such activity. A student who is tardy to any block will be subject to disciplinary action as outlined in the discipline section of this handbook. Three tardies to a block will be considered one absence.