Frequently Asked Questions about Attendance

Excused vs. Unexcused Absence?

Excused absences include:

• • • Illness/injury

    • Death in family

    • Health care appointments (You can request the provider's office to provide a note for the school.)

    • Court appearances

    • Religious observance

    • Natural disasters

    • Outside educational opportunities (You'll need to complete this form in advance, please see below for more information)

For more information, please review School Board Policy 4400: Attendance. 

What should I do if I have an educational trip planned for my family?

If a student is going to be out of town or the county, please inform the school before the trip and fill out the "Educational Opportunity" form if appropriate. This form (English) or form (Español ) must be submitted before the trip and will be reviewed to determine approval.

What should I do if my student is hospitalized or under continued medical care?

If student is out for a prolonged time due to hospitalization or medical condition, please turn in a note from the medical provider or the discharge form given at the end of hospitalization. If the student's medical condition causes he/she to have an excessive amount of absences, the nurse or school social worker will be in touch with the family to help with appropriate steps, develops a plan and for appropriate documentation.

What if we have a family emergency?

Please make sure to give a description of what the family emergency was that took place and include the date(s), specifics are needed.

I received a call from the school social worker. Why have they contacted me?

Your school social worker is here to help! Communicating with the school social worker allows everyone to be on the same page and can form a partnership between home and school to work on improving attendance. Part of the school social worker's role is to remove barriers to learning in order to ensure that students can be successful. You can contact our school social worker, Laura McIntyre at lmcintyre3@wcpss.net.

Where can I find more information on the North Carolina compulsory attendance law?

North Carolina law states that children ages 7-16 are required to attend school and complying with this law is a parental responsibility. Failure to comply with this law may result in a court referral. You can find more about the NC compulsory attendance law by clicking here for the full law of what to expect regarding absences. Please consult your school social worker with questions about this!

When is a student considered tardy?

If a student is not in the classroom by 7:30, they are considered tardy and must sign in at the front desk upon their arrival to school. A student arriving late may sign themselves in without a parent or guardian. Please provide the appropriate documentation when signing in to excuse the tardiness.

What if my student needs to leave early?

If a student must leave prior to dismissal, a parent or guardian must sign them out in the front office. Students will not be called out of class for early dismissal after 1:45 pm. Please do not call ahead to have a student ready for an early dismissal; we will call for them once you have arrived to check them out. Please provide appropriate documentation for the absence to be excused. A student must be in school one half of the school day to be counted present. 

What are the school hours?

School hours are 7:30 am-2:15 pm. No student should be on campus before 6:50 am and all students should be off campus by 3:30 pm, unless they participate in after-school activities. No student is permitted to leave campus after school and walk to local businesses, without prior parental permission. Students must wait for parents to pick them up from after-school activities either at the front of the school or by the athletic/band doors.