Attendance & Tardiness Policy
Regular and punctual attendance is essential to student success. Students are expected to attend school each day, arrive on time, and remain in school for the full instructional day unless an absence or early dismissal is approved.
Excused Absences
Excused absences may not exceed 10 school days during the academic year unless an exception is approved by Administration.
An absence may be considered excused for the following reasons:
- Personal illness: A doctor’s note may be required. A parent may submit a signed and dated note for up to one day of illness. Additional consecutive illness-related absences should be supported by appropriate medical documentation.
- Documentation or an official excused absence notice must be submitted to the school office by calling the office and selecting option 1.
- Hajj: Students may receive up to seven additional school days beyond the Eid holiday listed on the school calendar. Any additional time must receive prior written approval from the Principal.
- School-related activities: Absences resulting from preapproved ACA activities, competitions, field trips, athletics, or other school-sponsored events are excused as event days.
- In-School Suspension: A student assigned to in-school suspension remains responsible for completing classwork and assignments provided by teachers.
- School health office: A student sent to the nurse or designated health office during the school day will be excused from class for the time authorized by the Nurse or office. Students must return to class promptly after being released.
Administration may approve other absences as excused when circumstances warrant.
Extended Leave
- Extended leave requests must be submitted to the Administration Office at least two weeks before the planned absence using the Official Extended Leave Form.
- Extended leave is subject to administrative approval and is not automatically considered excused.
- Students are responsible for completing all missed learning activities, assignments, and assessments.
- Midterm and final exams are given only on their scheduled dates. Exams will not be given early or retaken; students who miss a scheduled exam will receive a zero.
- Families must communicate with ACA if the student is unable to return on the approved date.
Unexcused Absences
Any absence that does not meet the criteria above or has not been approved by the Administration will be considered unexcused.
Students should not accumulate more than five unexcused school days. Excessive unexcused attendance may result in parent conferences, an attendance improvement plan, disciplinary or enrollment consequences, and may be reported when required by law.
Submitting documentation does not automatically guarantee that an absence will be excused. ACA Administration retains final authority to determine the attendance classification.
Tardiness
Students are expected to be in their assigned classroom and ready to begin the school day by 8:00 AM and at the beginning of each class period.
- A student who arrives after the start of class will be marked tardy.
- Students arriving significantly late may be marked absent due to tardy for the applicable class period(s), based on the amount of instructional time missed.
- Six tardies are equivalent to one unexcused absence for attendance and disciplinary purposes.
- Repeated tardiness may result in parent notification, an attendance conference, or other corrective measures.
Prayer Attendance
Daily salah is an important part of ACA’s school day. Students are expected to report to prayer at the designated time and follow all masjid, prayer, and school conduct expectations.
Failure to report to prayer without authorization may be addressed as a conduct or attendance matter.
Parent/Guardian Responsibility
Parents and guardians are responsible for:
- Notifying the school when a student will be absent or late.
- Providing required documentation within the timeframe established by the school.
- Scheduling non-emergency appointments outside of school hours whenever possible.
- Monitoring attendance and responding promptly when contacted regarding excessive absences or tardiness.
Make-Up Work
Students remain responsible for assignments, assessments, and coursework missed during an excused absence. Excused status does not automatically waive academic requirements. Teachers will provide reasonable opportunities for students to complete missed work in accordance with classroom and academic policies. Students marked unexcused are not able to make up their work.
- The ACA Admin is fully authorized to carry out the school discipline policy, including the decision to expel students who violate “Zero tolerance policy”.
- The Administration shall follow due process, by interviewing the accused, and other witnesses, weighing the evidence, allowing the accused to defend and explain their behavior before reaching a decision.
- In case of a decision of expulsion, the Administration shall promptly notify the Board, who will review the case and ensure that the Administration has done so.
- Under Arizona law, parents/guardians are liable for damage done by their children.
- In any situation in which damage to school property occurs, the student or parents/guardians are required to pay for damages.
- If restitution is made in the designated time frame, additional consequences will result.
- All out-of-school suspensions are unexcused and all missed work will result in zeros.
- Short term suspension (STS): The student is suspended for a maximum of 3 school-days.
- Long term suspension (LTS): The student is suspended for 4-10 schooldays.
- If a short term suspension/ long term suspension is imposed on a student, the following steps shall be taken:
- Step 1: Any major misconduct shall be reported to the Principal.
- Step 2: The advisor, designated by the Principal, investigates/ evaluates the case and decides on the appropriate consequences based on the discipline code/ procedure posed in the handbook.
- Step 3: Due process shall be in place. The involved student and his/her parents shall be provided an opportunity to defend the case unless they give up such an opportunity. The parents’ conference must be conducted before any decision is to be made.
- Step 4: In the event that the parents disagree with the consequences, the case may be appealed to the Principal.
A school is a place where students come to be educated. We believe that there are certain things that disrupt the educational process; and therefore, are not permitted. The following is a representative list including, but not limited to those, items that will not be allowed for a student to carry at school:
- Personal electronic and communication devices, except as permitted under ACA’s Electronics Policy including but not limited to celluar phones, video cameras, smartwatches, bluetooth headphones, recording glasses, gaming devices, music players)
- Technology devices without a permission slip
- Laser Pointers or similar devices
- Pets/Animals
- Skateboards/roller-skates/in-line skates/ “heelies”
- Water guns/aerosol cans
- Pocketknives
- Large dollar bills no bills larger than $20 for events
- Medications and all kinds of medicine.
These must be handed over to the School Nurse to be documented and administered according to school policy. - Anything deemed inappropriate for the learning environment
- Exceptions may be made for special activities or classes that require any of the above.
- The administration reserves the right to use discretion in defining unacceptable items.Confiscation of Prohibited Items
- Prohibited or unauthorized items may be confiscated by school staff.
- The length of confiscation and conditions for return will depend on the type of item, the circumstances, and the applicable school policy.
- Cell phones, smartwatches, headphones, and other personal electronic devices are subject to ACA’s Electronics Policy and progressive disciplinary consequences.
- Items involving a safety concern, prohibited substance, medication, weapon, or other serious violation will be handled according to applicable school safety and disciplinary procedures.
- Confiscated items may be released only to a parent/guardian when required by school policy.
- Repeated violations may result in additional disciplinary action or restrictions on bringing the item to campus.
- ACA is not responsible for the loss of or damage to unauthorized personal items brought to campus.
BOYS K-5:
- Baby blue short or long sleeve polo shirts with embroidered logo
- Navy blue uniform pants
- White/gray/black socks
- Any closed toe shoes (excluding crocs)
- Optional: Navy jacket with front zip and no hood; can be purchased from Verona or Amazon
- All students must wear black pants with the required PE shirts on PE days. Gym pants may be worn if they are solid black. If preferred, students will be allowed to change for the PE period. They may wear gray t-shirts and gym pants during PE only. Please see the ACA School policy for dress code violations.
Refer to the Verona website.
GIRLS Grades K-5:
- Plaid jumper short or long sleeve
- Navy leggings or navy pants
- White/gray/black socks
- Any closed toe shoes (excluding crocs)
- Optional hijab; white or navy blue
- Optional: Navy jacket with front zip and no hood; can be purchased from Verona or Amazon
- All students must wear black pants with the required PE shirts on PE days. Gym pants may be worn if they are solid black. If preferred, students will be allowed to change for the PE period. They may wear gray t-shirts and gym pants during PE only. Please see the ACA School policy for dress code violations.
*Grade 5 girls must wear long sleeves*
Refer to the Verona website.
- Hunter green short or long sleeve polo with embroidered logo
- Khaki uniform pants
- White/gray/black socks
- Any closed toe shoes (excluding crocs)
- Optional: Hunter green jacket with front zip and no hood; can be purchased from Verona or Amazon
Items to be purchased from Verona. Refer to the Verona website.
- Hunter green tunic
- Khaki uniform pants
- White/gray/black socks
- Any closed toe shoes (excluding crocs and high heels)
- Mandatory hijab; two colours: hunter green or nude/beige
- Optional: Hunter green jacket with front zip and no hood; can be purchased from Verona or Amazon
- *To be purchased from Verona*
Refer to the Verona website.
- Navy blue short or long sleeve with embroidered logo OR navy button down dress shirt
- Khaki uniform pants
- White/gray/black socks
- Any closed toe shoes (excluding crocs)
- OR navy blue thobe with ACA embroidery may be worn any day of the week
- Optional: Navy jacket with front zip and no hood; can be purchased from Verona or Amazon
Items to be purchased from Verona. Refer to the Verona website.
- Navy blue tunic
- Khaki uniform pants
- White/gray/black socks
- Any closed toe shoes (excluding crocs and high heels)
- Mandatory hijab two colors: navy blue or nude/beige
- Girls may also choose to wear ACA abaya with mandatory hijab color options; navy blue or nude/beige
- Optional: Navy jacket with front zip and no hood; can be purchased from Verona or Amazon
Items to be purchased from Verona. Refer to the Verona website.
- No nail polish or color should be used on nails.
- No excessive makeup, including but not limited to foundation, eye color, lipstick, mascara, and eyeliner.
- No exaggerated jewelry, including but not limited to large chains, rings, bracelets, and hijab or hair accessories.
- No body-art or piercings, temporary or otherwise. Girls’ grades 1-4 should have hair that is neat, clean, moderate and natural in color.
- No use of excessive gels and hairspray. Hair should not be in the child’s eyes and must be neat and clean.
- No exaggerated hairstyles or extensions.
- Girls’ grades 5-12 are to wear their hijab at all times.
- Boys’ hair should be neat, clean, natural in color, and moderately cut (above the collar in the back and above the eyebrows in front and above the middle of the earlobes on the sides).
- No use of excessive gels and hairspray. Hair must be neat and clean.
- No exaggerated hairstyles or extensions.
- No goatees, exaggerated or inappropriate beards or sideburn styles.
- Boys should not wear hats, caps, headgear, makeup or jewelry of any kind on campus.
- Jackets with hoodies need to be worn with the hood down on campus at all times.