Parent FAQ S - ATTENDANCE

Parent FAQ’s - ATTENDANCE

How will I know if my student is marked absent? The SchoolMessenger notification system will call and send auto e-mails when a student is absent for one or more periods.

How will I know for which periods my student is marked absent? Log in to PowerSchool to determine for which periods the student was marked absent.

How do I verify an absence? Verify all absences through handwritten note or e-mail and include student name, date, periods of absence, and reason for absence. Incomplete verifications will not be processed and absences will remain unverified. Absences must be verified within 3 school days of the student’s return to school.

What if I know my student was at school but was marked absent? Be sure the absence was not marked in error. If it is, send student to Attendance Office for an Absence Clearance Form. Teacher signature is needed—parent note/e-mail will not suffice.

I signed out my student from the Attendance Window, so why did I still get a call/e-mail about the absence? SchoolMessenger calls and e-mails are generated automatically from PowerSchool records. Please allow 5 school days for absences verified by notes, e-mails, or Off Grounds Permits to reflect in PowerSchool. There is no need to respond or send duplicate verifications.

My student was out for a school-sponsored event/activity, so why did I still get a call/e-mail about the absence? “School business” absences can only be cleared by a school official, and occasionally it takes some time for the Attendance Office to receive this verification. Should parents send a note School business absences cannot be cleared by parent note, but if after 5 school days the absence has not cleared, please contact the Attendance Office.

My student left during the day for a doctor’s appointment and I sent a note the next day; why was it recorded [U] - unexcused? Students MUST obtain an Off Grounds Permit before leaving campus and notes after the fact cannot clear the absence.

I sent an e-mail stating my student was out all day due to family business, so why was it recorded [U]-unexcused? Only certain absences are excused per school and state policy. Refer to Student/Parent Handbook for more information.

My student is a senior and was taking a college placement test, so why was the absence recorded [U]-unexcused? Students must obtain permission in advance for this sort of absence—be sure to obtain approval from the principal or vice principal of attendance beforehand.

What happens if a student is absent and it is unexcused? Teachers can withhold a grade if a student is an absence is not verified or if a student is out for an unexcused reason. Refer to teacher syllabi and Student/Parent Handbook for more information.

What are the consequences of being truant? We will notify parents when a student accumulates 3, 6, and 9 unverified unexcused absences, truancies, or a combination of both. Refer to Student/ParentHandbook for further consequences.