Absences & Late Arrivals

How are absences/late arrivals handled?

Regular school attendance is a vital component of your child’s success in school and is mandated by Pennsylvania law.  The only acceptable reasons for absence according to the law are illness, serious illness or death in the immediate family, religious holidays, impassable roads and family trips for which the building principal has given prior written approval.

Any student arriving after 8:10 a.m. will be marked tardy.  Students arriving to school late must be signed in at the office by an adult.  Your student will not be marked tardy if arrival by school provided transportation is later than 8:10 a.m.

Tardy = Missing a block of up to one hour anytime during the day

Partial absence = Missing more than one hour, but less than two hours

½ day absence = Missing more than two hours, but not a full school day

Full day absence = Missing the entire school day

Time missed is accumulated, so partial absences and tardy minutes are added to a student’s attendance record.  A note should be sent within 3 school days describing the reason for the absence to avoid the absence being labeled as unlawful.  Any absence for which a note is not received within 3 days is permanently marked as unlawful.   A doctor’s note may be required for each absence exceeding three consecutive days and will be required for each absence after ten days.