Attendance Policies

ATTENDANCE POLICIES

Participants are expected to participate fully in each day of their Residency year and the subsequent fellow years. Part of being an effective teacher is being present at the school site on a consistent basis. Urban Teachers recognizes that there may be times when a participant must be absent from their clinical site or a mandatory event due to illness, bereavement, or other reasons. However, there are limits. Urban Teachers is a rigorous, Residency-based training program, and, in Urban Teachers’ judgment, it is an essential component of the Urban Teachers program for participants to comply with the attendance policies and procedures set forth below.

Accordingly, failure to adhere to the Urban Teachers policies and procedures regarding attendance, attendance reporting, and lateness renders a participant subject to disciplinary action, up to and including dismissal from the Urban Teachers program and/or their school site. Please carefully follow the procedures and policies below to remain in good standing in the program.

ATTENDANCE AT ORIENTATIONS, LESSON PLANNING INITIATIVES, PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, AND OTHER MANDATORY URBAN TEACHERS EVENTS

Residents and Fellows are expected to attend and complete all mandatory Urban Teachers events. Failure to attend or complete these mandatory activities or reporting late to these activities is considered violation of the Urban Teachers attendance policies and renders a participant subject to disciplinary action, up to and including dismissal from the Urban Teachers program. However, if there is a major life event that cannot be rescheduled (e.g. graduation, religious holidays), the participant must reach out to their Site designated point of contact to provide notice a week in advance and coordinate a plan for receiving the missed content.

CLINICAL SITE ATTENDANCE POLICIES

Students depend on their teachers to arrive on time and to implement well-planned and well-executed lessons. Punctuality and reliability are also at the top of most school leaders’ lists of qualities for an effective teacher. Recurring lateness or non-communication of a late arrival are considered violations of the Urban Teachers attendance policies and render a participant subject to disciplinary action, up to and including dismissal from the Urban Teachers program.

Attendance Policy Definitions:

• An absence is defined as missing fifty percent (50%) or more of the clinical experience within a single day. 
• An “absence occasion” is any period of continuous absence lasting more than one day for the same reason. 
• A participant is considered late when reporting to their clinical site after the scheduled start time, missing less than fifty percent (50%) of their clinical experience within a single day.

Clinical Site Attendance Policy for Residents:

• SUMMER INSTITUTE A → Residents may accrue no more than two (2) absence occasions, not to exceed a total of three (3) days.

• RESIDENCY SCHOOL YEAR → Residents may accrue no more than four (4) absence occasions, not to exceed a total of eight (8) days during the Residency school year at their school site between Summer A and Summer B. 

• SUMMER INSTITUTE B* → Residents may accrue no more than two (2) absence occasions, not to exceed a total of three (3) days.

*Summer 2023 may not include a required clinical component for all Summer B Residents. Please contact your designated Site Team director.

Residents must note all absences and late arrivals during the Residency School Year with a notifying email to their host teacher and school administrator, copying their Urban Teachers coach and Site designated point of contact. The reason for the absence or lateness must be included. All absences and lateness must also be communicated before the start of the school day. Residents are also expected to follow the attendance reporting procedures in place at their school site. Residents must note all absences and late arrivals during the Residency school year in the daily attendance form, if required by their Site.

Clinical Site Attendance Policy for Fellows:

Fellows are expected to adhere to the attendance and attendance reporting policies in place at their school site. Fellows should communicate any clinical site absences or late arrivals to their Urban Teachers coach before the start of the school day. 

IN THE EVENT OF PROLONGED ABSENCE

In the event that a participant is personally impacted by illness or needs to care for an immediate family member who is ill, the participant should speak with their Site Director about temporary and extended leave of absence options. Other reasons for requesting a leave of absence include, but are not limited to, birth or adoption of a child, mental or physical health concerns, or bereavement. (See Leaves of Absence for more information.)