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Attendance – Elementary

School Success Goes Hand in Hand With Good Attendance!

Attending school regularly helps children feel better about school – and themselves. Start building this habit in preschool so they learn right away that going to school on time, every day is important. Good attendance will help children do well in high school, college, and at work.

Did you know?

  • Starting in Kindergarten, too many absences can cause children to fall behind in school.
  • Missing 10 percent (or about 18 days) can make it harder to learn to read.
  • Students can still fall behind if they miss just a day or two every few weeks.
  • Being late to school may lead to poor attendance.
  • Absences can affect the other students if the teacher has to slow down learning to help children catch up.

Compulsory Attendance

Every parent, guardian, or other person having control or charge of any child who will have reached the fifth birthday on or before September 30 of any school year and who has not passed the eighteenth birthday shall send such child to a public school or otherwise provide the child with an education in accordance with state law unless the child is exempt from the state’s compulsory attendance requirement.

—Code of Virginia, 1950, as amended, § 22.1-254.

Excused and Unexcused Absences

Parents or guardians are required to call the school when their child is going to be absent. A note is required when the child returns to school stating the reason for the absence. When a child is absent due to illness and a parent or guardian wishes to pick up homework for that day, please notify the office by 9 a.m. to give teachers time to assemble work during their planning times and send it to the office.

Per policy JED, absences are excused for the following reasons:

  1. illness
  2. medical procedures
  3. legal obligations
  4. death in the family
  5. religious holidays
  6. extenuating circumstances determined by the school administration

The principal, principal’s designee, or other school personnel may implement a plan of attendance improvement upon a student’s tenth (10th) absence, whether excused or unexcused, including, but not limited to, the requirement to provide a note from a professional (e.g. doctor, lawyer) no later than the student’s return to school.

Illness and School Attendance

KEEP YOUR CHILD HOME IF:

  • your child has a temperature of 100F or greater. Children must be fever-free for 24 hours without the use of medication.
  • your child has the flu, is vomiting, has diarrhea, impetigo, conjunctivitis (pink eye), chicken pox, or Strep throat.
  • your child has lice. Please notify the school if your child contracts lice. Children must not return to school until treated. Proof of treatment must be brought to school on date of return.

What You Can Do: Empowering Your Children to Make Good Decisions

  • Set a regular bed time and morning routine and lay out clothes and pack backpacks at night.
  • Know what day school starts and ensure your child has the required shots.
  • Introduce your child to his teachers before school starts to help with transition.
  • Don’t keep your child home unless your child is truly sick.
  • Stomachaches and headaches are signs of anxiety.
  • Avoid medical appointments and extended trips when school is in session.

If your child feels anxious about going to school, ask a teacher, school counselor, or other parents for advice on ways to make your child more comfortable.

If you have questions, contact your child’s school!

  • BES 804-556-5380
  • GES 804-556-5321
  • RES 804-556-5385