Whether it’s a sick day or a skip day, the attendance policy affects everyone at Franklin High School.

The absence limit has decreased since the 2017-18 school year and is expected to decrease again due to the state’s limitation on absences.

“The school does not condone students missing school unnecessarily,” according to the FHS handbook. Excessive absences will result in credit loss. Excessive is considered 20% of a given class. So what happens when a student reaches the limit?

Ms. Petrillo, third floor office secretary, explained: “When [students] miss too many days, they enter into what we call credit recovery.” Credit recovery is students completing online programs or retaking courses to get back the credits they lost. If a student doesn’t recover credits, they risk being able to graduate.

It’s not that simple though. Students go through a lot of trouble when they miss school. Lindsay Stahl, a sophomore at Franklin High School has run into trouble with the attendance policy.

“They ended up having a meeting about me,” she explained. Lindsay was out with a concussion and even spent time in the hospital when she missed school. Through all the absences, Stahl said that she felt the teachers were aggravated but still accommodating to her needs.

Attendance policies are a huge part of the school rules as they impact everyone. However, no matter your situation there are all sorts of solutions at Franklin High to help improve attendance and help with credits.