Families are encouraged, wherever possible, to schedule ongoing external commitments outside of the school day or during school closures. Where a student needs to miss part or all of the school day for a planned commitment, such as a sporting fixture, competition, performance, or other approved extra curricular activity, the following procedure must be followed:

• An Absence Request Form must be completed by the student’s parent/guardian and submitted for approval.

• Families should provide at least one week’s notice wherever possible.

• Where a recurring early departure is requested, families should indicate the frequency, reason and anticipated duration of the arrangement on the form. Recurring arrangements will be considered for a defined period and may be reviewed during the school year.

• Requests will be considered in light of the reason for the absence, the amount and frequency of learning time missed, the student’s overall attendance and academic progress, and any significant academic commitments during the requested period.

• If approved, the absence or early departure will be recorded as excused. Students remain responsible for ensuring they understand and complete any work or assessments missed due to their absence.

Approval for a recurring arrangement may be reviewed if the pattern of absence begins to have a significant impact on the student’s learning, attendance or ability to meet academic expectations.

Please complete this form at least one week prior to your absence. Any questions can be sent to Alex Stewart-Pond, the Head of Lower School, at a.stewart-pond@bis-ny.org.