The Board of Directors has adopted the following Policy to accommodate the sincerely  held religious beliefs and practices of individual students with regard to all examinations  or other academic requirements and absences for reasons of faith or religious or  spiritual belief system.  

Religious Expression Day Absences and Accommodations 

Students are permitted up to three (3) religious expression days each school year to  take holidays for reasons of faith or religious or spiritual belief system, or to participate  in organized activities conducted under the auspices of a religious denomination,  church, or other religious or spiritual organization. Such absences are referred  hereinafter as a Religious Expression Day. The School shall not impose an academic  penalty as a result of a student being absent for a Religious Expression Day and  students that are absent for a Religious Expression Day are nonetheless permitted to  participate in any interscholastic athletics or other extracurricular activities on days they  are absent for a religious expression day. 

Students will be provided with alternative accommodations for examinations or other  academic requirements missed due to a Religious Expression Day approved by the  School administrator if the student’s parent/guardian provides the School administrator  with written notice of up to three (3) specific dates for which alternative accommodations  are requested. Such written notice must be provided no later than fourteen (14) school  days after the first day of the school year, or fourteen (14) school days after the date of  enrollment for a student who transfers to or enrolls in the School after the first day of the  school year. Upon approval of a request for an accommodation, the School  administrator shall require the appropriate classroom teacher or teachers to schedule a  time and date for an alternative examination or other academic requirement if the  approved Religious Expression Day absence creates a conflict, which may be before or  after the time and date the examination or other academic requirement was originally  scheduled. 

The School administrator shall not approve more than three (3) written requests per  school year per student for Religious Expression Day absences described above. In  approving requests, the School will not inquire into the sincerity of a student’s religious  or spiritual belief system, but the School administrator, or their designee, may verify any  written request by contacting the parent/guardian whose name appears on the written  request. In the event that the parent/guardian disputes having submitted such written  request, the School administrator is authorized to deny the request.  

Any absences excused under this Policy will not be considered in determining absence  hours for purpose of parental notification requirements when a student is deemed to be  “excessively absent.”

List of Major Religious Holidays 

Attached to this Policy (as Attachment A) is a list of major religious holidays, festivals,  and other religious observations for which a Religious Expression Day excused  absence will not be unreasonably withheld or denied. This list is non-exhaustive and the  School will not use this list to deny accommodation to any student for a holiday or  festival of the student’s faith or religious or spiritual belief system which does not appear  on Attachment A. The School shall include the preceding statement each time this  Policy is posted, printed, or published. 

Notices and Further Information 

The School shall post a copy of this Policy, including Attachment A, in a prominent  location on the School’s website and, annually, the School shall notify  parents/guardians of this Policy via the School’s Parent/Student Handbook and/or such  other methods of communication the School may choose.  

Further information about this Policy can be provided by the School administrator,  identified below. In the event that the School administrator or their contact information  changes during the school year, the School will publish updated contact information on  the School’s website.  

Melissa McManaway 

Melissa.McManaway@imgklep.com 

937-610-1710 ext. 105 

www.imagineklepinger.org 

Grievance Procedure 

A student or parent/guardian may submit a written grievance to the School administrator  regarding the School’s implementation of this Policy. Such grievance must include a  written statement identifying which requirement(s) of this Policy the School has  allegedly violated, facts supporting the allegation, and the reporting person’s contact  information.