Per the State, students are absent from school if not present for at least half of the instructional time required at each grade level. These instructional times do not include lunches, breaks, etc. Grades 1-3, 135 minutes; Grades 4-5, 150 minutes.

Tardies and early dismissals are entered in the system with the check in/check out time, and the software the school system uses calculates to the state whether your child is considered absent or present based on the time and the grade level. Therefore, the state may show more absences for the student than you see on parent portal (as some may be indicated as early dismissals or tardies depending on the time checked out or in that day).

Early Dismissal

• Early dismissals are considered excused or unexcused tardies.
• No student will be called out of the classroom until the parent arrives and has signed the student out.
• No student may be checked out after 2:00 PM.
• If you check your child in or out for an appointment, please bring back a note to change the tardy or early dismissal to excused. Otherwise, it will remain unexcused.

Excuses

• All absences are marked as excused or unexcused. Excused absences are due to emergenies such as illness, death in the family, or other extreme circumstances. Excused absences are also religious holidays, service as a page in the General Assembly, school-sponsored activities, & voter registration. Unexcused absences are all failures to attend school without proper documentation.
• Upon returning to school, students must bring documentation stating the date and reason for the absence with the signature of a parent/guardian, doctor, dentist, or judge.
• The student and/or parents/guardians have the responsibility to present the written excuse within three (3) school days of the student's return to school.
• The principal will resolve any question in determining whether an absence is excused or unexecused.
• Family Trips, even if educational, are considered parent authorized, but they are still considered as unexcused absences.