Daily Attendance

Remember, you must be logged into your PA Virtual Parent Email Account to view the form

If you are requesting an Educational Trip for a future absence, please complete the Educational Trip Form.

Remember, daily attendance is the most critical aspect of a student's academic success!

As a Learning Coach/Guardian, you must report all absences via the absence form (top right) or to your assigned Family Support Coordinator (FSC) immediately via email or by phone. The email must be sent from the parent school email account. If a learning coach/guardian fails to notify the FSC of an absence within 3 school days, the absence will be recorded as unexcused/unlawful. Pennsylvania Law considers students with three (3) unexcused/unlawful absences as Truant and students with six (6) unexcused/unlawful absences as Habitually Truant.

Absence Notification

If a student is ill and unable to log-in to Blackboard to attend school (also known as daily attendance), the parent or guardian must notify the FSC or complete the absence excuse form no later than 8:30 AM. If a phone call or excuse has not been received, Pennsylvania Virtual Charter School will notify the parent or guardian at 10:00am and then again at 2pm if an absence excuse excuse has not been received. The Absence notification will come in the form of an automated call, text and an email. If the student is ill with a communicable disease (e.g., chickenpox, measles), the parent or guardian should notify the school nurse

Excused Absences

Pennsylvania Virtual Charter School recognizes the following as valid excuses for absence of a student from school provided satisfactory evidence or documentation for the excuse is provided to the student’s Family Support Coordinator:

Death in the Immediate Family
Medical or Dental Appointments (Emergency)
Illness or Injury
Quarantine (student or family member is required to be isolated within the home)
Court or Administrative Proceedings
Family emergency- family emergencies shall be strictly construed and do not permit irregular attendance.
Observance of a Religious Holiday- PA Code § 11.21: Upon written parental request, a student shall be excused from school to attend classes for religious instruction under section 1546 of the Public School Code of 1949 (24 P. S. § 15-1546). The excusal shall be limited to a total of not more than 36 hours per school year.
Educational Opportunities or Family Educational Trips: An absence may be excused when it is demonstrated that the purpose of the absence is to take advantage of a valid educational opportunity. Approval for such an absence must be granted prior to the absence in accordance with the Student Educational Leave of Absence Policy.

Please Note:

A maximum of 10 absences verified by parental notification may be permitted during a school year. All absences beyond 10 cumulative days may require an excuse from a physician.
If a student is absent for 3 or more consecutive days due to illness, PA Virtual administration may require a physician’s note.
If parent leaves the FSC a voicemail, the FSC will send a follow-up email letting parent know that the voicemail was received.
If your FSC does not receive an excuse for each day of absence, the attendance record will reflect an unexcused/unlawful absence if the excuse was not submitted within 3 school days.
After three (3) cumulative unexcused/unlawful absences, the student will be listed as "Truant." Your FSC will invite the parent and student to a School Attendance Improvement Plan meeting to address the causes of absenteeism.
Should six (6) cumulative unexcused/unlawful absences occur throughout the school year, the student will be considered "Habitually Truant" and PA Virtual will issue a certified letter of truancy to the parent and will open a case with the county children and youth services.
In the case of lost electricity or internet, if you cannot log into Blackboard by visiting a local library or borrowing a friend or family members computer you must call your FSC ON THAT DAY and each day that you are unable to log in to capture your student's attendance. Failure to contact your FSC will result in an unexcused/unlawful absence if the absence is not reported within 3 days.
Students who are absent due to school-issued computer technical issues:
- (1) Must contact Technical Support at (877) 883-3653 and troubleshoot the issue to receive a technical ticket number.
- (2) The parent/legal guardian must complete the absence form or contact their FSC with the Technical Support ticket number.

Check your child's daily attendance anytime in the Sapphire Portal!

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