Attendance Matters

Missing a day of school here and there or arriving 10 minutes late may seem inconsequential, and at times even insignificant, but consider this: 

A student who is 10 minutes late every day will miss over 30 hours of instruction during the year — 1 week of school. A student who is absent just twice a month will miss 20 school days — four weeks of school! 

Each lateness or absence means a student has lost an opportunity to learn. Just as we can never regain a moment of time wasted, missing a day of school means missing a day of education that cannot be retrieved. Students may be able to make up an assignment, but they can never recover what is most important — the discussion, the questions, the explanations by the teacher and the thinking that makes learning come alive.

All school-age children in New York City are required to attend school on a full-time basis. Therefore, please be aware of the following:

Students attending OWH are expected to maintain minimum standards of attendance and punctuality (95%).

• Students are expected to be on time and in school every day.

• In cases of illness or family emergencies, please contact your child's homeroom teacher.

• Vacations, trips, or other activities are considered unexcused and must be scheduled when school is not in session.

• Every effort must be made to schedule medical appointments after school hours so instructional time is not lost.