Whitman Attendance

New Online Reporting Method For Student Absences!

MCPS has changed how parents/caregivers can report student absences. If your student will be absent for all or part of the day, you can now conveniently report the absence directly through ParentVUE. Our Attendance Google Form is no longer accepting responses, so ParentVUE will now be the primary way to report an absence online.

Please remember:

• Absences must be reported within three school days through ParentVUE.

• If you are unable to report the absence through ParentVUE, your student may bring an attendance note to the Attendance Secretary. Handwritten notes must include the following:

  • 1. 1. 1. 1. Student's full name, ID number, and Grade 

             2. Date(s) and reason(s) for absence(s)

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

• Note the available codes in ParentVUE are as follows; use the appropriate code for the absence.

  • 1. 1. 1. 1. PAB-Absent- full-day or partial-day absence. You can add a doctor's note to this absence. 

             2. PFE- Death in the Family- absence code in ParentVUE should be used exclusively when a student is absent due to a death in the family (bereavement or funeral services) 

             3. PIL- Illness/Sick- absent from school due to a personal illness, mental health/well-being concern, or physical sick day. You can add a doctor's note to this absence. 

             4. PME- Medical Appointment-a student misses school due to a doctor, dentist, or other healthcare provider visit- information in note section should include- type of visit and arrival time. You can add a doctor's note to this absence. 

             5. PRE- Religious Observance- Faith-based holidays or ceremonies not already built into the MCPS calendar. 

In accordance with MCPS guidelines, absences may be excused for reasons such as student illness or well-being concerns, medical appointments, religious holidays, state emergencies, court summons, hazardous weather, school-approved activities, suspension, lack of authorized transportation, or other circumstances approved by the principal.

Any student who leaves school without permission and without signing out will be marked absent. Students may also be subject to disciplinary action in accordance with the MCPS Student Code of Conduct. 

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. 

MCPS Attendance Policies and Procedures

• 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)

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 unexcused 

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. 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 an attendance note.

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

If a student becomes ill during the school day:

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

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

Anticipated Absence: 

Students are required to submit the Anticipated Absence/College Visit Form three days (3) in advance for any reason that is not listed under excused absences. The student must obtain signatures from their teachers, 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 (5) 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.