Whitman Attendance

The Attendance Secretary is located in the Main Office. If you have a question that is not answered on this website, please call 240-740-4800 for assistance. 

To submit documentation for absences and late arrivals, please use the 2026-2027 Attendance Google Form. Please note: the form will no longer be available after June 4, 2027.

Important: A phone call or voicemail will NOT excuse an absence, late arrival, or early dismissal. Official documentation must be submitted through the Attendance Google Form.

We also accept paper notes in the following format: Absence/Early Dismissal/Late Arrival. 

Handwritten notes must include the following:

• • Student's full name, ID number, and Grade 

  • Date(s) and reason(s) for absence(s)

  • Parent's full name, parent signature, and daytime phone number

MCPS Attendance Policies and Procedures

Policies

• Except when ill or excused, all students must attend their scheduled classes and other required activities throughout the school day. 

• Attendance is taken in each period. An automated system notifies parents if a student is recorded absent from any period of the day. If you receive this notification, please check ParentVUE or have your student check StudentVUE to see which period(s) recorded an absence. Please do this before contacting the main office. 

• All absences are considered unexcused until a student presents a note, signed by the parent, to the attendance office or the parent completes the online attendance form. 

• For full details, view the MCPS Student Rights & Responsibilities Handbook (Pages 4-5)

All absences are considered unexcused until the Attendance Google Form is filled out and submitted.

FULL DAY ABSENCE

• If your student will be absent for the day, please submit the information through the Attendance Google Form as soon as possible to avoid delays in updating attendance records. 

• The Attendance Google Form submission must be provided to the attendance secretary within three school days of the student's return to school. Submissions received after the three-day window will result in the absence being marked as unexcused. 

• MCPS excused absences:

  • • Work approved or sponsored by the school, MCPS, or MSDE 

    • Death in the immediate family 

    • Student illness and well-being concerns (The principal may require a physician’s certif­icate from the parent/guardian in cases of chronic or extended absences for an illness.) 

    • Pregnancy and parenting-related conditions (including absences due to an illness or medical appointment of the student’s child and absences due to a legal appointment related to family-law proceedings, including adoption, custody, and visitation). These rights extend to students who are mothers and fathers.

    • Court summons • Hazardous weather conditions (weather conditions that would endanger a student on the way to or from school) • Doctor/Medical appointments 

    • Observance of a religious holiday 

    • State emergency • Suspension 

    • Lack of authorized transportation (for example, if the school bus does not show up) 

    • Permission from the principal 

• MCPS unexcused/unlawful absence: 

  • • Family trips/vacation

    • Family emergencies

    • Private/personal transportation issues or traffic concerns

    • Truancy, illegal employment, or indifference

Late Arrival

Students who arrive after 7:45 am must report directly to the main office to sign in, including those with an approved abbreviated schedule. 

Transportation: Students arriving late on a school bus should report to the main office. Students who arrive last via Ride-On, Metro, or personal/private transportation will be marked tardy. 

Definitions:

• Tardy: A student is considered tardy if they are not in the classroom when the bell rings at 7:45 am. After the first tardy, and for each subsequent tardy, teachers may, at their discretion, assign detention. 

• Absent: A student is considered absent from class if they arrive more than 20 minutes after the class start time.

Early Departure

To help ensure student safety and minimize disruptions to instruction, please follow the procedures outlined below for early dismissals:

• Student Note Submission: Students should bring a signed note from a parent/caregiver to the main office before the first period or during lunch. An early dismissal pass will be issued, allowing the student to leave class at the designated time. All students must sign out in the main office before leaving school.

Last-Minute Early Dismissal

We understand that unexpected situations arise. If your student needs to leave early, the following is required:

• You must come to the main office in person with a valid photo ID and be prepared to complete the Attendance Google Form or write a note.

• Please allow up to 15 minutes for your student to be called out of class.

Early Departure due to illness

If a student becomes ill during the school day:

• They should ask their teacher for a pass to report to the Health Room

• The Health Room will contact the parent/ guardian if early dismissal is necessary

Any student who leaves school without permission and without signing out will be marked as having missed class(es) without permission. Phone calls requesting early dismissal for a student will not be accepted, nor will calling ahead to have your student sent down upon your arrival. 

Anticipate Absence

Students are required to submit the Anticipated Absence/College Visit Form three days in advance for any reason that is not listed under excused absences. The student must obtain signatures from their teachers and counselor, then bring the form to the attendance secretary in the main office, where their administrator will determine if the absence is excused/unexcused before signing the form. Once the administrator signs the form, the attendance secretary will log the absence. NOTE: Family trips/vacations are not excused absences according to MCPS attendance guidelines. 

Appeal of Attendance Recording

College Visit

Students are required to submit the Anticipated Absence/College Visit Form five days in advance of any college visits. If the college visit form is not approved prior to the college visit then additional documentation is required. Acceptable documentation includes an official letter from the college confirming that the student attended a campus visit. Please allow 24-48 hours for the absence to be updated after we receive the documentation.