Research consistently shows that regular school attendance is a key factor in academic achievement. Students who attend school regularly are more likely to develop the skills and knowledge needed to succeed academically and later in life. Additionally, a strong school attendance record helps students build a sense of responsibility, time management, and discipline, along with contributing to the growth of their overall mental well-being.
If your child is absent, you must notify the school @ 201-843-1142 by 8:45 a.m. and press “1” at the message prompt. Please leave your child’s name, teacher, and reason for absence. For the safety of our children, we will follow up on all unconfirmed absences by a telephone call from our office. Parents will also receive an automated alert of their child’s absence.
We strongly urge parents to schedule all appointments and vacations for days when school is not in session. When parents/guardians know in advance of a unique or special family circumstance that will require an absence from school, they must notify the classroom teacher, Mrs. Tara Miller (medical), or Ms. Fontana in the main office by email.
If you must pick up your child before dismissal, email your child’s teacher, Mrs. Hanenberg, and Ms. Fontana. You must sign your child out at the main office and your child will be called down. Please allow yourself enough time for your child to pack up their belongings and travel to the main office. Students will NOT be sent down to wait for an early pick-up at the main office.
Note that any student absent during the school day may NOT attend nor participate in any school-related evening activities or performances.
When a preschool student is up to four (4) absences, our staff will reach out to families to check in and see if there is anything we can do to help support regular attendance.
If a preschool student accumulates ten (10) absences, we will meet with families to better understand the reasons for the absences and work together to create a plant that helps the child come to school more consistently.
Student Tardiness:
All entry doors will be closed at 9:00 a.m. Students who arrive after 9:00 a.m. are to enter through the parking lot door (Door #1). All late students are to report to the Main Office where their tardiness will be entered. Students arriving late must be signed in with a parent or guardian. A letter will be sent home if your child has reached 5 unexcused tardies. Please refer to the link for Policy 5240: Tardiness
Student Absences (Extended):
Pursuant to the Saddle Brook Board of Education procedures, the following will apply when a student is absent from school for an extended family vacation during the school year, whereby a student misses an extended period of school over a consecutive calendar period:
A student who is out of school for ten consecutive days shall be marked absent each day.
As of day eleven, the absence will be changed to a withdrawal from school dated back to the first date of the absence.
If a family returns, the student will be re-admitted however a registration must be commenced and completed within a 30 day period. Note: The ten consecutive days of missed education shall not include school holidays.
Students who exhibit a pattern of excessive absences and/or tardies will be contacted by the principal.
Per Attendance Works:
Regular attendance allows children to benefit from participating in quality early education. Research shows that students who miss too many days of preschool have weaker literacy and numeracy skills entering kindergarten. This is especially true for children from families living in poverty, who gain the most when they attend but lose out more when they are absent.
A habit of attendance IS a school readiness skill. Along with social-emotional and readiness skills, consistent on-time attendance is a habit that lasts. Children who are chronically absent in preschool are far more likely to be chronically absent in later grades.