Attendance

Attendance Lines

Attendance is one of the most powerful predictors of academic achievement and having your student in their seat, ready to learn for the entire school day will benefit them, their classmates, and our whole school community. Let’s work together to make sure your child has great attendance and can get the most out of their learning opportunities this school year.

OUR PROMISE TO YOU
We know that there are a wide variety of reasons that students are absent from school, from health concerns to transportation challenges. There are many people in our building prepared to help you if you or your student face challenges in getting to school regularly or on time. We promise to track attendance daily, to notice when your student is missing from class, communicate with you to understand why they were absent, and to identify barriers and supports available to overcome challenges you may face in helping your student attend school. Our parent handbook reflects legislative updates from the state and is ready for you to review.

WHAT WE NEED FROM YOU
We miss your student when they are not at school as we value their contributions to our school community. If your student is going to be absent, please contact the school in advance. If an absence was unplanned, please contact the school office as soon as possible.

HOW WE CAN WORK TOGETHER
• Send your child to school unless they are truly sick, exhibiting symptoms such as fever, vomiting, diarrhea, contagious rash or showing any other COVID-like symptoms.
• Avoid appointments and travel when school is in session.
• Keep track of your child’s attendance.
• Set a regular bedtime and morning routine (including limiting how late your child may use any electronic devices) and finish homework and pack backpacks the night before.
• Have a back-up plan for getting to school in case something comes up (this could be alternative bus routes, or a plan with family members, neighbors, or other parents).
• Communicate with the school about how we can work together to support your child’s attendance.

OUR DUTIES UPON A STUDENT’S ABSENCES
• If your child has five unexcused absences, we will reach out via phone and follow up with an email.
• If your child has seven unexcused absences, we will schedule a conference with you and your child to create a student success plan and help with continued supports.
• After 10 days of unexcused absences, and our supports and interventions haven’t helped get your student to school consistently, we are required to file a petition and you will be notified by formal letter that the case will be forwarded to the truancy department and the Lake County ROE.

WHAT IS EXCUSED AND WHAT IS UNEXCUSED:
Excused: Medical appointment, illness, quarantine, death in the family, mental health day, religious holiday
Unexcused: Most other reasons for absence including vacation, sporting event, missing the bus, sleeping in, day before a religious holiday or celebration.