Dear Parent/Guardian

Currituck County has implemented policies to improve attendance in schools across the district. Student academic performance is directly related to school attendance. When a student is absent from school, they miss valuable instruction that cannot be gained through take home work. We ask that, if at all possible, trips and vacations be planned during scheduled breaks from school to prevent students from missing direct instruction within the classroom.

From time to time, students encounter an exceptional opportunity for an experience of an educational nature. While these events may not be part of their schoolwork, they provide an excellent chance to further their education. Under certain circumstances, the days devoted to these opportunities can count as excused absences. To qualify as an extraordinary educational opportunity, it must meet the following criteria:

1. a) The opportunity should be educational in nature. It must have a learning objective related to the student’s course work or plan of study.
2. b) It should be grade and developmentally appropriate.
3. c) The content of the experience must be highly relevant to the student. While some opportunities will be relevant to all students, others will contain very specific content that would limit their relevance to a smaller group of students.

Requests should provide details on how the trip will reinforce the curriculum being studied in the current grade of the child.  While many experiences are educational, the parameters for an excused absence are intended to reinforce curriculum standards or afford a unique opportunity such as an academic or athletic competition.  Please visit the curriculum section of the NCDPI website for current grade level standards to align your reason s for requesting the time away to grade level standards.  Note:  Family trips to Disney, long weekends at the beach or mountains as well as family reunions and celebrations are not reasons to request excused absences for educational opportunity.

All requests for approval of exceptional educational opportunities should be submitted in writing, outline the learning objective of the opportunity, and detail how the objective is linked to the student’s coursework or plan of study, include additional documentation (where available), and be submitted no less than 10 days prior to the opportunity. The student will be expected to complete all work and keep a daily journal on knowledge gained from each experience.  

Approvals are awarded on a case-by-case basis, and are based on a number of factors including current academic standing.

Please find the Eduational Opportunity letter and form here.  

Educational Opportunity Letter       Educational Opportunity Form