Letter From Principal

Letter From Dr. Ron Myers

We value the instructional time with each of our students and want them to be at school as much as possible. Designing learning experiences for our students is a responsibility that we consider extremely important at BNHS.

To help remind our students about the importance of attendance, and as you are aware, students must be present 90% of the time for earning credit in their courses. 

As a parent myself, I understand that situations arise where students need to leave school early. The notes and emails that you provide to us helps us tremendously and provides documentation when your student arrives late, checks out early or is absent for the day. Furthermore, should a situation occur for which a student has not attended at least 90% of the time, this correspondence weighs heavily when creating a credit recovery plan.

To help provide further clarification, students who leave early or arrive late will be counted absent (A) or) tardy (T) unless they provide a medical note from a doctor. They will be coded appropriately if they are participating in a school-sponsored event. All other absences that do not meet the Texas Education Code approved criteria, however, will be unexcused and the attendance record will be noted as "A", not "EXA". 

Therefore, when the situation arises when a student leaves early or arrives late to school, please continue to send some form of correspondence so that we can make accurate decisions when considering credit or truancy type issues. If the missed attendance does not meet one of the Texas Education Code's approved absences, the student may or may not be excused based upon administrator review.

Texas Education Approved Codes

PRE – Present

ISS – ISchool Suspension

DEP – Disciplinary Alternative Education Program

MP – a medical/dental appointment on a specific day and the student has been present at school any part of that same
,AND you have a note from a licensed health care provider that states that the student (or the student’s child) was seen by him/her that same day

IHE– Institution of Higher Education

COC – Co-curricular

EC – Extra curricular

REL – Religious Holy Day

CRT – Court - Student was required to attend court and there is documented, written, proof of that requirement from the court or judge. This does not include appointments with probation officers and does not include court appointed meetings, visitation, or community service.

TAP – Taps - misses school for the purpose of sounding TAPS at a military honors funeral held in Texas for a deceased veteran.