PHS Attendance Email: phsattendance@pennsburysd.org
**Early dismissal requests sent via email are NOT ACCEPTABLE. A parent signed early dismissal note must be brought to the attendance office in order to be processed.**
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PARENTS/GUARDIANS: TO REPORT AN ABSENCE, PLEASE CLICK HERE
You can track attendance updates through the PowerSchool Parent Portal (Click here).
*Oversleeping, taking a driver's permit or license exam, missing the bus (unless it didn't come) ARE NOT valid excuses for an absence or tardy.*
A dot in the attendance cell means the class didn't meet that day.
A blank attendance cell means the student was present.
If the student was absent, tardy, etc., the corresponding attendance code will be shown.
Click here to see more features available in the PowerSchool Parent Portal.
ABSENCES
All absences must be reported within three (3) school days of the student’s return to school. We are unable to adjust attendance if you submit an excuse weeks after the fact.
Acceptable excuses for absence(s):
Illness, quarantine, or obtaining professional health care or therapy from a licensed practitioner
Family emergency
Required court appearance
Death in the family
Observance of a religious holiday observed by a bona fide religious group, upon prior written parental request
Educational trips approved ahead of time (see more details below)
Excessive Absences
In cases where a student has accumulated ten (10) or more days of absences (including approved educational trips), parents/legal guardians will be notified that future absences will require an excuse note signed by a doctor.
If there are extenuating circumstances as to why an absence cannot be reported in a timely manner, please contact your student’s management assistant listed below:
9TH GRADE: LYNDA NORMAN (Located at WEST CAMPUS)
10TH GRADE: STEPHANIE FUSCO (Located at EAST CAMPUS)
11TH GRADE: VACANT (Located at EAST CAMPUS)
12TH GRADE: TAMMY LALL (Located at WEST CAMPUS)
Tardy
A Period begins at 7:20am. Students are expected to be in their A period class BEFORE 7:20am.
At both buildings, tardy students MUST STOP to obtain a SmartPass from either a hall aide/management assistant in the front lobby or bus dock lobby or at the attendance office. Otherwise, late students will be marked absent for the day (you cannot assume a teacher will adjust the student's attendance upon late arrival).
In order for a lateness to be excused due to an appointment (eye, dental, medical, psychiatrist, etc.), students MUST bring an excuse note from the doctor's office to the attendance office when they sign in late. Alternatively, the note can be emailed to phsattendance@pennsburysd.org or faxed to 215-949-3896 or 215-269-4864.
For all other latenesses to be excused, students MUST present a parent/guardian note.
The note must include the student’s full name (first and last), date, and the valid reason for the lateness (notes stating student had appointment without documentation from the office in which the appointment took place, will result in an unexcused lateness until an excuse note is received).
Click here to use the Absence/Tardiness Excuse form, if possible.
Students arriving late to school WITHOUT a note containing a valid reason will be marked as unexcused tardy.
EARLY DISMISSAL - Please DO NOT SEND AN EMAIL FOR EARLY DISMISSALS. All requests for early dismissal must be WRITTEN ON A NOTE. oTHERWISE, a phone call NEEDS TO BE MADE TO either attendance office IF A NOTE IS NOT PROVIDED.
EARLY DISMISSAL - Please DO NOT SEND AN EMAIL FOR EARLY DISMISSALS. All requests for early dismissal must be WRITTEN ON A NOTE. oTHERWISE, a phone call NEEDS TO BE MADE TO either attendance office IF A NOTE IS NOT PROVIDED.
**All students, including those who are 18 or older, are NOT permitted to sign themselves out without prior permission from their parent or guardian by either a note or phone call directly to the school. Please refer to the Student Code of Conduct for additional information.**
On the day of their early dismissal, students should bring a parent/guardian signed note to the attendance office before A period begins (7:20am). The note should include the student’s first and last name (student ID# is optional, but helpful), the date and time of dismissal, and the method of leaving (being picked up*, walking home, driving his/herself)
*If the student is being picked up by someone other than a legal guardian/parent, you must provide the person’s full name (first and last) and relationship to the student. Everyone who picks up a student is required to present a photo ID, no exceptions.
All notes brought to the office will be verified with a phone call to the parent/guardian. The attendance office will then process a SmartPass for your student which will be accessible on their Chromebook or they can download the SmartPass App (iOS, Android) for free on their phone.
If the student is being picked up, the student must go the front entrance of either East or West campus to wait until the individual picking them up arrives. The individual must come to the front entrance to physically sign the student out out of school.
If the student is walking home or driving his/herself, he/she can proceed directly to the exit at the time of dismissal issued on their SmartPass.
**Important: If something comes up requiring your student to leave early and you did not send in a note, please notify the school directly by calling the attendance office in which your student will be dismissing from. Text messages on a student’s phone are NOT an acceptable form of communication to the school.**
On Final Exam Testing Days, please be aware that students are required to stay for the duration of the class period. Students are NOT permitted to leave as soon as they have completed their final exams.
EDUCATIONAL TRIP/PLANNED FAMILY VACATION
EDUCATIONAL TRIP/PLANNED FAMILY VACATION
As per the Student Code of Conduct, parents/guardians may request permission to take ONE (1) educational trip per year not to exceed five (5) days. Days in excess will be considered unlawful and/or unexcused and legal notices may be issued. Only one educational trip will be approved each school year.
Parents/guardians requesting permission to take their student out of school for an educational trip MUST notify the attendance office at least TEN (10) days prior to the trip.
Please do not call the school, all trip requests must be made in writing.
The student must come to either attendance office to obtain a yellow absent request card. The front side needs to be filled out by a parent/guardian and the back side signed by all of their teachers.
In order for the absences to be excused, the student needs to return the card to the attendance office after both sides have been completed.
ATtendance & Athletes
ATtendance & Athletes
PHS student-athletes' absences will only be excused if:
The student is rostered on one of our PIAA sanctioned sports (the schedules that come out of the HS office).
The student MUST be representing Pennsbury High School at the event they are attending.
If the above is not met, then the absence is unexcused.
The following events DO NOT meet the criteria and therefore are unexcused absences:
College Showcases/Scouting/Recruiting Events
Club team tournaments & competitions (cheerleading, soccer, swimming, gymnastics, baseball, track etc.)
Anything travel/club team sponsored
ATtendance & ACTIVITIES
ATtendance & ACTIVITIES
PHS students' absences will only be excused due to school sponsored activities if:
The student is on a list provided by the club/team/group advisor or teacher.
The student MUST be representing Pennsbury High School at the event they are attending.
If the above is not met, then the absence is unexcused.
COLLEGE/UNIVERSITY VISITS
COLLEGE/UNIVERSITY VISITS
Students are allowed three (3) college visits per academic school year.
Students must provide written verification of the visit on an official college/university letterhead from the college/university within three (3) school days to the attendance office in order for the absence(s) to be excused (email confirmations will NOT be accepted).
For college applications, click here for fast facts for the graduating class of 2025.
ATTENDANCE FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
ATTENDANCE FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What is truancy?
A. Truancy means having three or more unexcused absences in the current school year. These absences do not need to be in a row.
What is habitual truancy?
A. Habitual truancy means having six or more unexcused absences in the current school year. These absences do not need to be in a row.
What are the penalties of habitual truancy?
A. Habitual truancy due to unexcused absences is a summary offense addressed under the Pennsylvania Public School Code Compulsory Attendance Law amended by Act 138 of 2016. As such, penalties (i.e. a fine up to $750, a jail sentence up to three days, attendance at parenting classes, community services in the school district of up to six months) may be imposed against parents, guardians and others responsible for truant children under the age of 17. In cases where the student is determined to be in violation of the compulsory attendance law, he/ she will be subject to penalties (i.e. a fine up to $300, assignment to an adjudication alternative program, driver’s license suspension for 90 days, disposition as dependent child). Referrals to the Children and Youth Agency can be made for habitually truant students. For more information, please refer to the letter from Student Services regarding attendance.
What is a Student Attendance Improvement Plan (SAIP)?
A. Upon the student’s third unexcused absence, a school and family conference will be completed to discuss the cause of the child’s truancy and develop a mutually agreed upon plan to resolve truant behavior.
What if my student goes on a college/university tour while he/she attends a competition/event with their club sport/activity team--will the entire absence be excused?
A. If you provide a valid excuse note from the college/university confirming the visit, the student’s absence will be excused only for the day of the tour/visit.
Can my student volunteer at a food pantry/soup kitchen during the school day?
A. Although we appreciate the charitable efforts, volunteer work during the school day not sponsored by the Pennsbury School District is not excusable.
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