State law requires school attendance for students ages 7 to 16. Gwinnett County Board of Education Policy states that students will be excused from school under the following circumstances:

1. Personal illness or illness/death in the immediate family. 

2. Religious holiday.

3. Mandates by government agencies. 

4. Service as a page in the General Assembly.

5. Military physical or doctor’s appointment.

6. Conditions rendering attendance impossible or hazardous to student health or safety.

Parent notes will be accepted for up to seven 7 excused all-day absences per semester and seven 7 check-ins or check-outs per term. Thereafter, the only excused reasons for absences, check-ins, and check-outs are those listed above and verified through the following formal documentation: Doctor or hospital notes, court or government mandated papers, funeral brochures or programs. Excused documentation should be submitted to the attendance office within 5 days of returning to school.

Absences or tardies/check-ins are unexcused for all other reasons, including but not limited to:

1.  Missing the bus, oversleeping, parent/guardian schedule.
2.  Vacations, trips, family visits, college visits (two per semester, approved by the Attendance Office).
3.  Student employment, babysitting, running errands, and traffic congestion.

If the student has no note, he/she will be considered as having an unexcused absence or check-in.

After a total of five (5) unexcused absences, students may be considered truant and in violation of local and state law. Parents of truant students may have legal ramifications according to the GCPS county attendance policy. After ten(10) consecutive absences, a student may be administratively withdrawn. 

2022-2023 Attendance Discipline Consequences

   Tardy Policy (To School and Class) 

Tardy Stations: Front Lobby, Commons Office, All Grade Level Offices

1st - 3rd TARDY-Warning/Parent Notification through Attendance

4th TARDY- Administrative Referral/Conference and Parent Contact

6^th TARDY – Administrative Referral/Detention (1 hour), Parent Conference, and Counselor referral

8th TARDY – Administrative Referral/Saturday School and Social Worker referral (Loss of Student Parking for a Week*)

12th TARDY- Administrative Referral/1 Day ISS (Loss of Student Parking for Two Weeks*)

EVERY 4th TARDY- Administrative Referral/ISS/OSS/loss of extracurricular privileges including but not limited to ballgames, homecoming, prom (Loss of Student Parking for the Semester)

*Reference the excused absence/tardy policy, including doctor or parent notes. Student Parking is a privilege and may be taken away as an administrative consequence. 

AWOL from Class Policy 

1st AWOL – Administrative Referral/Detention and Parent Contact

2nd AWOL – Administrative Referral/Saturday School and Parent Conference

3rd AWOL – Administrative Referral/ISS and Counselor Referral

4th AWOL – Administrative Referral/ISS/OSS/loss of extracurricular privileges including but not limited to ballgames, homecoming, prom and Social Worker Referral

5+ AWOL – Administrative Referral/Rule 10 Contract Violation Consequence (Administrator Discretion)

AWOL from School Policy 

1st AWOL – Administrative Referral/Saturday School and Parent Contact (Loss of Student Parking for Week*)

2nd AWOL – Administrative Referral/ISS and Parent Conference (Loss of Student Parking for Two Weeks*)

3rd AWOL – Administrative Referral/ISS/OSS and Counselor Referral (Loss of Student Parking for Semester*)

4th AWOL – Administrative Referral/ISS/OSS/loss of extracurricular privileges including but not limited to ballgames, homecoming, prom and Social Worker Referral

Consequences for Attendance Violations: Consequences listed are for failure to follow the GCPS Student Conduct Behavior Code and local school rules. Peachtree Ridge High School may issue a Level I or Level II offense for further violations of either Rule 10C or Rule 10D. If the school has issued a student a Behavior Contract and/or Rule 12 Notice, violations of Rule 10C and/or 10D may be elevated to a Level II offense (4-9 suspension days) or a Level III offense which would be a referral to a student disciplinary hearing.

*FAILURE TO SERVE AN ADMINISTRATIVE CONSEQUENCE WILL RESULT IN A GCPS DISCIPLINE REFERRAL AND 1 FULL DAY OF ISS

Administrative Detention

Location:  B-101 Computer Lab on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays  

1 Hour Admin. Detention (2:30 pm-3:30 pm)

2 Hour Admin. Detention (2:30 pm- 4:30 pm)  

Saturday School

 Location: Media Center 

2 Hour Saturday School (8:00 am- 10:00 p.m)  

4 Hour Saturday School (8:00 am- 12:00 p.m)  

In the event that parents need students to miss school for personal reasons (trips, college visits, vacations, etc.), the student should complete Prearranged Absence Form at least three days prior to the absence. Forms may be obtained in the attendance office or printed below. The request will be reviewed by an administrator for approval or denial. If approved, the student will be allowed to make up work missed., although the absence will still be considered unexcused. Students are limited to five prearranged days per year. Prearranged absences are not to be used on exam days.

Pre-Arranged Absence Form

Return to School from an absence or when checking in: 

When returning to school, students should either bring documentation to the attendance office or request parents to have documents faxed to the Attendance Office at 678-957-3108. The student name and student ID number should be included on all documentation as well as the parent contact phone number for verification. Field trips, In-School Suspensions (ISS) and/or school-sponsored events are not considered absences. Out-of-School Suspensions (OSS) are considered as absences but are not counted for the excessive absence policy.

To Check out Early: 

Once a student arrives on campus, he or she may not leave without receiving proper authorization (checking-out), from the Attendance Office.                                                                                  Students are only allowed to check out with individuals listed on the student's profile. There will be no check-outs after 1:30 PM. 

1. Students must bring a signed note to the Attendance Clerk (Front Lobby) before school begins. 

• The note must include the student's full name and student ID number, a parent signature, and a phone number where the parent can be reached. 
• The time missed from class will be excused or unexcused based on the criteria listed below. 

It is the responsibility of the student to request make-up work within five days after an excused absence. Students are responsible for getting all make-up work completed within the time frame set by the teacher. Failure to do so will result in a “0” for all work missed.