Attending school every day ready to learn is essential for your child's success. Research shows a strong correlation between regular school attendance and academic achievement. If your child is absent from school for any reason, you must provide written documentation of the reason for the absence immediately upon your child's return to school. You may use the Student Absence Report Form, you may send a written note with your child, e-mail your child's teacher, or call or e-mail our data manager, Cora Lashley at (919) 856-7625 or clashley@wcpss.net.

Parents/guardians should submit their Requests for Educational Absences to Mr. Hernandez (ghernandez2@wcpss.net) at least one week in advance.

Students must attend school for a minimum of 3 1/4 hours to obtain full attendance credit for the school day. Students who check-in after 12:31 or who leave before 12:30 will be counted as absent for that day. On inclement weather makeup days, students must be in attendance at least ½ of the instructional day to be marked present.

Excessive tardies may count as absences or may result in lost magnet or transfer status. Mr. Hernandez will schedule an appointment with you prior to the loss of magnet or transfer status to discuss any barriers you may be facing and to help identify possible solutions.

Excused absences can be found on the WCPSS Attendance and Absences webpage. Educational opportunities that require an absence from school may be approved with advance notice. Families who wish to request an excused absence for educational reasons should submit the WCPSS Request for Excused Absence for Educational Reasons (English / Spanish) to Mr. Hernandez prior to the absence. Excused absences for educational reasons will be granted only if (1) the primary purpose of the trip is educational and (2) the event does not occur at another time (i.e., launching of space shuttle, presidential inauguration). Please submit this form to the school. The principal will review your request for approval or denial. Please note that Mr. Hernandez will not approve any educational absences when a student has missed more than 10 days of school.

Please be aware of WCPSS Attendance Policy and make every effort to have our students to school each day on time so that we can learn together.

Requests for assignments to be left at the front office for an absent student will be accepted if the student is out for more than one day. Otherwise, the student will receive their makeup work when they return to school. If the request for the assignments is received by the teacher after 12 PM, the work will be waiting in the office the following morning. Please remember teachers will not be interrupted while teaching to produce student assignments.

For absences of one to three days, the student will have one day for each day absent to make up the work. For absences exceeding three days, the student may have two days for each day absent to make up the work. Special consideration will be given in the case of an extended absence due to injury or chronic illness.

Please contact a member of the Fuller Attendance Committee if you have a concern about your child’s attendance. Members are Laurin Parrish, Kenyann Stanford, Holly Hamblin, and Cora Lashley. After three unexcused absences, your homeroom teacher will call to inquire how they can assist your family with regular school attendance. After six unexcused absences, you will receive a letter from Mr. Hernandez. After ten absences of any type (excused and unexcused), you will receive another letter from Mr. Hernandez and our school social worker will be in contact with the family. Absences above twenty in a school year are considered excessive and will require support and intervention by the school-based attendance committee.