Notice to Parents Regarding Missing Children Program

Dear Parents and Guardians:

At Northwest Ohio Classical Academy (‘NOCA’), we hold student safety as a high priority. In compliance with the Missing Child’s Law, we meet the requirements for Ohio Revised Code for the admission to school as well as House Bill 410 for tracking attendance throughout the school year.

We require that parents/guardians submit a proof of the following: date of birth; and, residency and custody (upon registering). Within twenty-four (24) hours of the student’s entry into the school, a school official shall request the student’s official records from the school he/she most recently attended. If the school the student claims to have most recently attended indicated that it has no records of the student’s attendance or the records are not received within fourteen (14) days of the date of request, or the student does not present a certification of birth of comparable certification or certification from another state, territory, possession, or nation, the Principal may notify the law enforcement agency having jurisdiction in the area where the student resides of this fact and of the possibility that the student may be a missing child, as this term is defined in State Law.

Consistent tracking of every student’s attendance is taken on a daily basis. Parents/Guardians should notify the school by the morning of any school day their child is not attending. The excuses are to be submitted to the attendance office and filed as part of the student’s school record. If your child is not reported absent, you will receive a call and/or text from the school office inquiring about your child’s absence. We encourage good attendance daily to ensure continuity of learning. However, if your child is absent, be sure to send a note the day of return to verify his/her absence. Please refer to our student handbook, which can be accessed on our website, to read the entire attendance policy.

NOCA recognizes the advantage to both the parent/guardians and law enforcement agencies of a means of identifying children who have become lost or have been abducted.

Please refer to the following resources:

· Ohio Attorney General Missing Person Resources – Missing Persons Resources – Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost

· The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children – Home (missingkids.org)

· Missing Children Clearing House – 2015-Missing-Children-Clearinghouse-Annual-Report.aspx (ohioattorneygeneral.gov)

· Absence Reporting

· Absence Intervention