Attendance Policy

Tutors are allowed up to three excused absences a semester. Guidelines for excused absences are as follows:

• Absences for academic commitments, job/internship interview, and vacations will only be considered excused if you provide notification at least one week in advance. You must notify your teacher via email, and cc dukearac1112@gmail.com. You must also enter a note explaining your absence in your attendance log (google doc) next to the appropriate date.
• Absences for illness or personal/family emergency will only be considered excused if you provide notification before your tutoring session is expected to start (you should give as much advanced notice as possible). You must notify your teacher via email, and cc your Site Coordinator and dukearac1112@gmail.com. You must also enter a note explaining your absence in your attendance log (google doc) next to the appropriate date.
• No-shows are not allowed.  Failure to comply with the attendance policy and/or excessive absences will result in probation and/or dismissal from the program.

What if I didn’t finish a class assignment and need to skip tutoring?

That would be considered an un-excused absence. Missing tutoring because you need to study for a test or complete an assignment is not allowed. While academics should be your first priority, we expect you to plan ahead and organize your time so that you can balance your multiple commitments.

What if I have used my Excused Absences and I get sick?

Additional absences will be approved on a case by case basis.  We do not want you to go to tutoring sick, but we also must be reliable to our community partners. One of the measures used to approve additional absences will be overall communication and successful completion of program requirements. In other words, if you are communicating effectively with your sites and with ARAC Program Staff, you are submitting your Reflection Logs, and you are attending your Head Tutor Meetings, you are more likely to be granted an exception. You may be asked for documentation of illness in some cases.

What if I am sick for an extended period of time?

Tutors who have an extended illness or injury should notify the program coordinator by email in addition to the standard notification procedure listed above if they expect an illness will require them to miss more than two days of tutoring.  Absences will be approved on a case by case basis. You may be asked for documentation of illness in some cases.

What if I have an important job interview but have used my three Excused Absences?

That would be considered an un-excused absence. You are granted one un-excused absence per semester, use it wisely.  Exceptions may be granted on a case by case basis for students who will be graduating in the current semester.  Please contact the ARAC Program Coordinator.

What if I have an emergency that requires me to miss multiple days of tutoring?

Tutors who have an emergency should notify the ARAC Program Coordinator by email in addition to the standard notification procedure listed above if they expect the emergency will require them to miss more than two days of tutoring.  Absences will be approved on a case by case basis. You may be asked for documentation of of the emergency in some cases.

Can I make-up a missed session?

Yes, if approved by the teacher and the ARAC Program Coordinator.  You must clear the make-up session with the ARAC Program Coordinator in order to be paid for that time. You must report all changes in schedule to the program coordinator so that we can approve you time sheet. Make-up sessions DO NOT cancel out absences.

What if I have extra absences at the end of the semester, can I skip tutoring to study?

You may use absences to attend to an academic commitment if you provide at least one week of advanced notice following the procedure listed above. Keep in mind that your tutees and teachers depend on your presence so take into consideration how your absence will effect your classroom and your students.

What if I have an emergency and am unable to contact my teacher and the program to report an absence?

Remember no-shows are not allowed and are grounds for probation or immediate dismissal from the program. You are expected to notify your teacher and the ARAC program before you are expected at tutoring regardless of the emergency or illness.  We strongly encourage you to save all relevant contact information in your phone to make it easy to contact your program coordinator and your site.  If you, despite your best efforts, are unable to contact the program coordinator and your site before your absence, we expect you to contact us as soon as possible.  We will require justification for the late notification of absence.  Further action will be determined on a case by case basis; it may be counted as an unexcused absence or you may be placed on probation or be dismissed from the program.