It is imperative that the girls are present at every practice, however, I am fully aware that sometimes circumstances arise that are beyond our control. The following is an explanation for our Attendance Policy: Any member who misses 2 consecutive practices (unexcused) will be removed from our next performance. An unexcused absence is defined as any member who has not communicated with Mrs.Herrera or Ms.Daley in some way in regards to the absence. For example, if a member is ill or will be out of town, I need communication via email, voicemail or written note explaining the reason for the absence. Anyone absent without some sort of notice within 24 hours of the absence (before or after the absence) is considered an unexcused absence. This policy applies to all scheduled practices and any other Black Diamonds event that we are scheduled to attend.

Amendment Added October 8,2007:
The first unexcused absence will be considered a warning. Any unexcused absence at any point thereafter will result in the member receiving 3 demerits, per the constitution. The policy remains the same whereas any member who has 2 consecutive unexcused absences will be pulled from the next performance. As a reminder, any member who is absent from a morning practice on a performance day will be excused from the performance,unless the reason for the absence is a pre-planned appointment of some kind, and Mrs.Herrera and/or Ms.Daley are notified in advance about the absence.

In regards to circumstances that are beyond your control that have forced an unexcused absence: Communication must be made with Mrs. Herrera or Ms. Daley and those circumstances will be dealt with on an individual basis, therefore possibly exempting the member from receiving the demerits for the unexcused absence.

Academics is a strict priority for the Black Diamonds, and any member who is need of attending tutoring in the morning is allowed to do so. Missing a morning practice to attend tutoring is an excused absence as long as the following tutoring procedure is followed:

1. The member must obtain a tutoring pass from their teacher THE DAY BEFORE the tutoring session takes place. For example, if a member needs to attend tutoring on Friday morning, therefore causing her to miss our team's morning practice, the member must get a pass from her teacher on THURSDAY in order to attend the tutoring session on Friday morning.
2. The member must present the pass to Mrs. Herrera in the morning in order to be excused to attend the tutoring session.

*The tutoring pass MUST come from the teacher providing the tutoring service.

*Failure to present a pass for tutoring BEFORE morning practice will be considered an unexcused absence and will therefore constitute enforcement of the demerit system.

*Tutorials should only be used to receive help from a teacher in that particular subject area. It is NOT to be used to work on homework or to work on anything that is considered to be work that should have been accomplished during class time. Any member who is caught abusing tutoring privileges will face the possibility of disciplinary action.

*REMEMBER that ACADEMICS COME FIRST! If members are not doing well in their classes, they face the possibility of becoming ineligible and therefore could lose the privilege of performing with their teammates.