School begins promptly at 8:30 am. The doors will open each morning at 8:10 am, and all students must enter the building as detailed in the Parking Lot Policy.

Any student arriving after 8:30 am must enter through the front office in order to be admitted to class. 

All visitors must enter through the front office and will receive a Visitor’s Badge. Any parent or guardian or designated person wishing to pick a student up early must come to the front office to do so and must sign that student out for the day. No student will be released to any person other than the parents, guardians, or those persons listed on the Student Information Sheet without previous notification to the office. The office will ask for photo identification from adults picking up ACS students.

Early dismissal for a High School student who drives will only be granted when a note from home is sent to the office permitting the student to leave campus early. If a High School student who drives becomes ill and needs to go home, contact with a parent must be made by the office before that student will be permitted to leave campus. Students who drive may not take other students home with them without written permission from the parents involved.

ALL students must be picked up from school at the end of the school day. Students are not permitted to remain after school unless they are enrolled in an after-school program or PM Club. Students who have not been picked up in the dismissal line will wait with a parking lot attendant and the parents will be charged a late fee of $3.00 each minute after 4pm.

PLEASE KEEP IN MIND THAT THE FRONT DOORS ARE LOCKED DAILY FROM 3 PM- 4PM.

The front office reception area is reserved for guests of our school. It is not to be used as a congregating area for students and/or parents. When needing to speak with our front office staff, please keep that area quiet so that our staff can effectively field the phone calls they receive or answer the questions of parents and guests of the school.

Anyone entering the building will need to be admitted by a staff member. Parents and guests of ACS will not be permitted to move throughout the school unless escorted by an ACS staff member.

ACS complies with Maryland State laws regarding regular school attendance. COMAR Section 7-301 requires that, “each child who resides in the state and is 5 years old or older and under 16 shall attend school regularly during the entire school year unless the child is otherwise receiving regular, thorough instruction during the school year in the studies usually taught in the public schools to children of the same age.”

The following absences from school are deemed to be lawful. As such, work missed during absence for any of the reasons below may be made up and grades awarded accordingly. Parental notes or other written documentation are required to determine lawful absences.

The Administrator or Academic Director must authorize all Excused Absences (EA):

• Death in the immediate family

• Illness of the student

• Court summons

• Suspension

• School sanctioned activities

• Other emergencies or circumstances judged and approved by the Academic Director 

Work missed during school-sanctioned activities, family activities, or lawful absences must be made up by the student. If written permission is required for a lawful absence, the parent must agree to have the student complete the schoolwork he or she will be missing during the approved absence. If the work assigned is not completed, those absences can be considered unlawful. If work then must be made up, the student will be required to arrange to complete the work after the regular school day.

The make-up policy for short-term, Excused Absences (EA) shall be:

• It is the student’s responsibility to check Google Classroom or with their teachers for make-up assignments for any work missed due to an absence.

• Work satisfactorily made up within the school’s prescribed time after returning to school will receive full credit.

• Failure to make up work missed while absent will result in a failing grade for the assignment missed. 

Notes and documentation verifying Excused Absence (EA) from school must be submitted when the student returns to school from the absence. Failure to submit verification as required will result in the absence being considered unexcused. An absence for any reason other than those cited as excused is presumed to be unexcused and may constitute truancy.

Students who have excessive absences will be referred to the courts and/or other agencies for action. Students who have been unlawfully absent may lose credit toward graduation.

Students who accumulate more than eight (8) days of absences (excused or unexcused) per quarter or sixteen (15) days per semester will be reported as truant. Regular attendance is essential to academic success and spiritual growth at Arundel Christian School. 

Students with more than twelve (12) total absences will be required to participate in a summer school program to recover missed learning and demonstrate readiness for the next grade level. Summer school participation will be determined by the school administration in consultation with teachers and parents and may include core academic content, enrichment modules, or a combination of both, depending on the student's needs.

School begins promptly at 8:30AM. ALL students are to report to their designated areas for Morning Roll Call and Bible class.

If a student has unexcused tardiness, more than three (3) unexcused in a month, a late fee of $75.00 per student will be processed with the payment information the family has on file. It is the responsibility of the parents to ensure their child’s timely arrival. Tardy students are missing Bible, which as a Christian school, is our most important part of the day. In addition, late students are missing morning announcements as well as causing a disruption to the normal flow of the class. 

If there is a traffic problem, health emergency, or other emergency, please call the office and make them aware of the situation. Otherwise, the tardiness will not be excused. 

Tardiness will also affect a student’s attendance record. The following will apply to students who do not arrive to school on time:

• Absent or late less than ninety (90) minutes = tardy.

• Tardiness three (3) times within one month will constitute a one-half day absence, a $75 fee, and a demerit.

• Absent or late between ninety (90) minutes and three (3) hours = one-half day absence.

Excused tardiness will require written explanations. If a student is late because of a doctor’s visit, a written excuse from the doctor is required. Written excuses must be sent to attendance@arundelchristianschool.org

Students who make a habit of being absent from school may be expelled from ACS.