Attendance is the key to the success of our schools with parents playing an important role. As we begin this school year, parents are asked to make sure that your child is equipped with the #1 tool for success at school – excellent attendance. When your child arrives at school on time each day and is prepared to learn, then he/she has an excellent chance of achieving his/her highest potential.
Virginia’s Compulsory School Attendance law states that every parent or guardian of school age children must send their child to school regularly. When a student is absent a day from school, reasonable efforts will be made by school officials to notify the child’s parents. Upon returning to school each student must bring a signed and dated note from their parent or physician.
4 Categories of Attendance:
1). Unexcused – No note from parent or doctor. Phone calls are not an acceptable excuse for absence.
2). Excused Absence- A Doctor’s note must be submitted to the main office on the day that your child returns to school. Other excused absences that are non-health related can be approved by administration. The note needs to include the following information:
- Student first and last name
- Date(s) of absence
- Date child is allowed to return to school
- Reason for absence
- Parent Signature
- Homeroom Teacher’s Name (written on note by parent)
3). Pre-Excused – A note must be on file prior to the first day of absence. If the pre-excused absence is approved as an Educational Absence (2 days) then proof of educational visit must be submitted the day the student returns to school (admission ticket stub, program or brochure).
4). Unverified Absence – A note from the parent that can be faxed, e-mailed written or typed but must be at school on the day that the student returns. The note must include:
- Student first and last name
- Date(s) of absence
- Date child is allowed to return to school
- Reason for absence
- Parent Signature
- Homeroom Teacher’s Name (written on note by parent)
Students will receive a phone call from our new automatic phone messaging service when they miss school. Students missing 10 days of school (unverified or unexcused) will be referred to court services. In addition to any other actions taken pursuant to this regulation, if a student who is under 18 years of age has 10 or more unexcused absences from school on consecutive school days, the principal or principal designee may notify the juvenile and domestic relations court, which may take action to suspend the student’s driver’s license or make the parent complete a community service project.