Attendance Information

  • We believe that students are most successful in achieving their personal and academic goals when they are present in school.  Later this fall, each family will receive a copy of our Attendance Handbook which was created to help our Graduating Class Teams support consistent student attendance. Advisers will also review the expectations with students when they return to school.  Students and families will receive increased communication from the school as absenteeism increases. 

    PLEASE REVIEW THE FOLLOWING EXPECTATIONS FOR STUDENTS and PARENTS/GUARDIANS:

    • On time arrival:  New Trier values the Adviser Program, and it is a part of the student’s school day. Therefore, on time arrival and consistent attendance to the adviser period is expected (8:00 am for Northfield and 8:20 am for Winnetka).
    • A student cannot be excused from one class to stay at school and study for another class. If a student is in the building, they must attend all scheduled classes. When a student is in the building, any absences from scheduled classes will be considered unexcused.
    • Students must be present in school in order to participate in extracurricular activities. Students who are absent from school for more than two full scheduled blocks or four - 40 minute periods may not participate in their after school extracurricular activities that day. Students and coaches will be notified via email by 3:15 PM if they are not permitted to participate that day. 
    • A student may be excused from school because of illness, mental health day (limit of 5 days per year), observance of a religious holiday, death in the immediate family, family emergency, situations beyond the control of the student as determined by the Board, or such other circumstances that cause reasonable concern to the parent/guardian for the safety or health of the student.  Absences for reasons other than valid cause will be reviewed and may not be considered excused.
    • If the school makes an error in attendance, the student should work with the school to resolve the error the next day with the appropriate teacher or staff member. Parents should not submit an absence form to excuse students in these cases.
    • If students are ill, they need to sign out via Health Services.
    • Students will be required to sign in and out of school.  Students will be marked absent if the process is not followed.  More information will be provided through Adviser Room.
    • Students excused from Kinetic Wellness class will be required to make up the time in accordance with the KW Departmental Policy.

    As a reminder, parents submitting an ABSENCE REQUEST FORM in the PowerSchool Parent Portal are requesting the absence be excused by the school.  In order to comply with State of Illinois law, the school reserves the right to determine if an absence is unexcused and/or constitutes truancy.  If it is determined that the reason for the absence is not a valid cause,  the student may not be excused by the school.  Submitting a form does not guarantee that the student will be excused.