Attendance

  • Knox County Board Policy
    Children between the ages of six (6) and seventeen (17) years, must attend a public or private school. Under certain circumstances the Board may temporarily excuse students from complying with the provisions of the compulsory attendance law.

    Kindergarten
    Children entering Kindergarten shall be no less than five years of age on or before August 15. Any child six years of age on or before September 30, shall be eligible for first grade if he or she has attended an approved Kindergarten program.

    No child shall be eligible to enter first grade without having attended an approved kindergarten program.

    Special Education
    A child entering a special education program shall be no less than three (3) years of age.

Attendance Policy

  • Good attendance at school is basic to students being successful learners. Attendance is a key factor in student achievement; therefore, students are expected to be present each day that school is in session. Parents have both a legal and moral responsibility to see that children are present every day school is in session. For these reasons, the Knox County Board of Education has adopted the following policy concerning student absences.

     

    Kindergarten

    In order to be counted present on any and all accounting attendance records, students in Kindergarten shall attend school for a time period of three  (3) hours and thirty  (30) minutes per school day. Students who attend less than three (3) hours and thirty (30) minutes per school day will be recorded and reported as absent on any and all attendance records. 

    Grades 1-5

    In order to be counted present on any and all accounting attendance records, students in grades 1-12 shall attend school for a time period of three (3) hours and thirty (30) minutes per school day. Students who attend less than three (3) hours and thirty (30) minutes per school day will be recorded and reported as absent on any and all attenance records.

    Excusable reasons for student absences:
    • Personal Illness
    • Illness in the family temporarily requiring help from the child
    • Death in the family
    • Recognized religious holidays observed by persons of the student's faith.
    • Verifiable family emergencies. 
    Excuses for absences must be made in writing to the principal or administrative designee by a parent or guardian.  Written excuses must be submitted within five (5) days of the student's return to school.  Any absence not complying with the above reasons for excused absences will be considered unexcused.  An example of an unexcused absence would be family vacations taken during the school year. 
     
     

    In the event parents want to appeal an unexcused absence, they should communicate with the principal. The Principal's decision is final at the school level. 

Elementary School Dress Code

  • See Official Board Policy JCBF for more details
    The standards for elementary school dress reflect "common sense" and a concern for each child's comfort, safety, cleanliness, and sense of modesty. There is a strong relationship between neat, appropriate attire and a positive learning environment. Apparel or appearance which tends to draw attention to an individual rather than to a learning situation must be avoided. To help create the best learning environment for elementary students, the following standards for student dress must be observed in all Knox County Elementary Schools:

    1. Pants must not sag below the waist and must be at a safe length.
    2. Head apparel, except for religious or medical reasons, must not be worn inside the school building. 
    3. Footwear is required and must be safe and appropriate for indoor or outdoor physical activity. 
    4. Clothing or accessories may not display offensive, vulgar language or images and must not advertise products which students may not legally purchase. 
    5. For students in Grades 3-5, "short shorts", mini-skirts, and skin-tight outer materials such as spandex are inappropriate attire. 
    6. For students in Grades 3-5, shirts, blouses, and dresses must completely cover the abdomen, back, and shoulders, and shirts or tops must cover the waistband of pants, shorts, or skirts with no midriff visible. 

    The school administration reserves the right to determine whether the student's attire and appearance are within the acceptable limits. In matters of opinion, the judgment of the principal/designee shall prevail. The principal may allow exceptions for school-wide programs or special classroom activities. The teachers and the principal will administer appropriate consequences for policy infractions.

    The specific Board Policy can be found on our Welcome to Knox County Schools Page under Polices, Important Dates. You may also want to visit your individual school as well. A few elementary schools wear "campus gear" which is a School Board approved variation from the above policy.
     
    Dress Codes adopted by some schools
    Some schools have adopted a Board Approved dress standard that varies from the basic Knox County School Dress Policy. Please check with your school about dress codes. These schools are:
    • Belle Morris
    • Lonsdale
    • Pond Gap
    • Sarah Moore Greene
    • Spring Hill Elementary School
    • Chilhowee Intermediate

After School Care

  • This information can be obtained by contacting your local school office or by visiting the individual school website.

    Many schools have private providers for after school care. Parents must make arrangements through the provider for transportation to and from school.

    Please check your local school for details.

Teaching & Learning Framework

  • Teaching and Learning Framework