MEMORANDUM

To: Parents / Guardians of NCSSM Students

From: Tom Clayton, Director of Academic Programs

Subject: Attendance Procedures at NCSSM

As you likely know, it is our expectation that all of our students attend each of their scheduled classes. So it is imperative that you avoid planned activities (i.e. college visits, family travel, medical appointments, etc.) that conflict with our academic calendar.

College visits and other travel or educational opportunities should be taken during scheduled breaks or extended weekends. Off campus appointments should be carefully arranged around your student’s classes and other required activities at NCSSM. Please resist the temptation to leave early or return late for extended weekends or other holidays, as that severely limits the opportunity for your student to meet his/her full potential here.

Although there are a number of designated academic days in our school calendar on which classes are shortened or do not meet (e.g. Exams, Research Symposium, Mini-Term), we consider the mandatory activities that occur then as critically important to our students’ success and require their attendance. Please recognize how essential it is that your student be fully available to participate in the NCSSM academic program throughout the year.

As we are aware there are times that such a stringent expectation will prove impossible to meet, our students may request approval to miss up to two classes in each course during every trimester. Yet please do not assume that your student can make extended trips that will take her/him away from NCSSM for multiple academic days since, by school policy, such requests will be refused and the absences associated with any such trip will be considered unexcused.

Materials intended to acquaint you with the absence approval process, along with our entire attendance procedure (including provisions for illness and school related activities), are available from this link. If you have questions, need clarification, or for any reason wish to discuss our attendance procedures further, please feel free to contact either our Attendance Coordinator, Kathy Mueller (telephone 919/416-2929 or e-mail mueller@ncssm.edu), or me (telephone 919/416-2888 or e-mail clayton@ncssm.edu) at your convenience.