Attendance Policy 2020-2021

Welcome to the 2020-2021 school year! While this year will look different than any year we have ever known, we are sure it will be great. Whether remote or brick and mortar, the classroom is a better place when your child is there.

As we transition to a blended learning environment, we are excited to share our school’s Every Student, Every Day Attendance Policy and Plan. This policy and plan will hopefully provide you with the information and guidance you need to help you help your child attend and stay in school.

OUR SCHOOL COMMUNITY’S ATTENDANCE GOAL

Attendance matters. Missing a day of school means missing hours of instructional time. Research shows that students who attend regularly achieve greater success in school and in life. This continues to be true—even in a remote or blended learning environment. Our school’s collective goal for attendance remains the same. Whether in remote or in person, we want every child attending school every day or at least 95% of the school year.

ATTENDANCE TAKING

Our school will take attendance: Each morning from 8:30 a.m. – 9: 30 a.m.

DEFINITIONS OF ATTENDANCE  FOR REMOTE & BLENDED LEARNING

ModalityBrick and MortarRemote
PresentStudent is physically present in the classroom/school learning environment for instruction during the scheduled school day.Student is virtually present for synchronous1 or asynchronous2 instruction. While all efforts should be made to deliver synchronous instruction to students, there may be cases where this is not possible.
AbsentStudent is not physically present in the classroom school learning environment for instruction during the scheduled school day.   Student is in the school building but not attending any classes or not meeting with a guidance counselor or other licensed pedagogue.Not virtually present for synchronous or asynchronous instruction.
  1. Synchronous instruction is defined as live interaction between the teacher and student(s) each day at a scheduled time, communicated in advance to parents and students. For more information please contact the school.
  2. Asynchronous learning refers to instruction and learning opportunities that do not feature students and teachers interacting at the same time. For more information please contact the school.

COMMUNICATION WITH FAMILIES

Our school uses the following methods to communicate with families about attendance:

Email, phone calls, virtual meetings, U.S. mail, or visit by attendance teacher.

It is very important for the school to have families’ up-to-date contact information. To make sure we can reach you, please alert us of any changes to your address or phone number by contacting Mrs. Kennedy (lkennedy6@schools.nyc.gov).

ABSENCES

If you know your child is going to miss school on a certain day or will be missing school for an extended period of time, please notify the school in advance by emailing Mrs. Kennedy (lkennedy6@schools.nyc.gov).

While every single absence is equal to missed instructional time, we nonetheless mark absences as excused and unexcused. Please provide us with information on the reason for your child’s absence. Here is what you need to know regarding excused and unexcused absences:

  • Excused absence:
    • Although an absence may be considered excused, a child’s permanent school record still reflects their absence. 
    • Any child who is absent from school must present a written note signed by the parent or guardian immediately upon his/her return.  The note must clearly indicate the reason for absence and must be presented on the day the child returns to school.  A doctor’s note is required for any absence that exceeds three consecutive days.
    • The school will classify an absence as “excused” for one of the following reasons only:
    • Sickness of child
    • Religious observation for the day of the observation
    • As per Chancellor’s Regulation A-210, any student who misses the equivalent of 2 or more days per month or 20 or more days in the school year, is considered chronically absent and will be referred to the Guidance Counselor and Attendance Teacher for follow up with parents.
    • The school guidance counselor will outreach to the parents of students with patterns of absences. For upper grade students, the guidance counselor will work with students. For younger student, guidance counselor will work primarily with parents to improve attendance. For students with medical conditions, the school nurse will work with the family. The District Attendance Teacher may also follow-up.
  • Unexcused absence:
    • All absences for reasons other than those cited above will be considered as “unexcused.” 
    • All “unexcused” absences for students under the age of seventeen are also recorded as “unlawful.” 
    • When a child has been absent for more than 10 consecutive days, 15 aggregate days, or 8 days after a previous 407 has been opened, or when a student has been absent for 20 aggregate days over a four-month period, a 407 investigation is opened to identify the reason for the child’s absence. 

LATENESS

Even if a student is late, they are still marked as present.

Main Building & Annex

  • School officially begins at the main building and annex at 8:30 a.m. 
  • We have a grace time of 10 minutes before a child is given a late pass.  If a child arrives to school between 8:30 and 8:39 a.m., he/she is not marked late at the security desk and he/she is not issued a late pass.  Student goes directly to class and is not marked late or absent.
  • If a child arrives to school at 8:40 a.m. or later, he/she is sent to the main office where he/she will sign in the late book and receive a late pass.
  • Our Pupil Personnel Secretary Mrs. Kennedy, reviews all attendance sheets to ensure students are properly marked late and not absent. 
  • Teachers should not mark students late if they do not have a late pass. 
  • A student must be in attendance by 1:05 p.m. in order to be marked “Late” and not “Absent” for the day.

Just as with absences, we flag lateness as excused and unexcused. Here is what you need to know regarding excused and unexcused lateness:

  • Excused lateness:
    • On inclement weather days, we do not mark students late to school.
    • Children who take DOE school buses will not be marked late unless their parents drive them to school late.  The exception to this rule is if the school bus does not show up at the stop and parents must drive their children to school. 
  • Unexcused lateness:

Unexcused lateness is when a student is not in their homeroom, if in-person, or online for their morning meeting by 8:40 a.m.

LEAVING EARLY

This section explains our school’s policy for a student’s early departure from the school day in both remote and in-person settings. If your child is going to leave early on a certain day, please notify the school by emailing your child’s classroom teacher.

  • Early departure:

Leaving school early must be arranged in advance. A student can be dismissed from school early to the family or a person who has been identified on the Blue Card. Anyone picking up a student must come to the office and provide a photo ID.

ATTENDANCE AND MAKE-UP WORK

If a child is absent or late, grades, coursework, or exams could be affected. Here is what you need to know regarding our grading policies and how we support our students with make-up work:

Lateness to class may result in a lower class average due to the loss of instructional time in activities such as: classroom participation, examinations (quizzes/full period exams), peer conversations, speeches, group work, etc.

STUDENT ARRIVES ON THE WRONG DAY

If your child arrives at school for in-person instruction on a day they are scheduled for remote learning, we will notify the parent immediately by telephone.

Parents or guardians or designated points of contact will be asked to pick up their child.

Your child will remain in the school building until he/she is picked up by an approved adult or until the school’s dismissal time; whichever is first.

STUDENT ATTENDS REMOTELY WHEN SCHEDULED FOR IN-PERSON

If your child is scheduled for in-person instruction but attends remotely on that day, they will be marked as absent.

In this circumstance, the student should access remote coursework through the school’s online portal TeachHub/Google Classroom.

Every Student, Every Day Practices

This section shares information regarding our schools multi-tiered support plan. It is our hope that through these supports your children have what they need to attend school regularly.

COMMUNICATION

During parent-teacher conferences, we will share information regarding your child’s attendance and discuss how we as a school community can be most helpful in creating the conditions for your child to attend regularly and thrive in school.

PERSONALIZED SUPPORTS

  • For students with medical conditions, the school nurse will coordinate the attendance plan with the students’ doctors and parents. The school guidance counselor will work with students and parents with chronic attendance problems.
  • The school guidance counselor will outreach to parents of students with patterns of absences. For upper grade students, the guidance counselor will work with students. For younger student, the guidance counselor will work primarily with parents to improve attendance. The District Attendance Teacher may also follow-up.
  • Students who were chronically absent in prior years will virtually meet with the Guidance Counselor.  Parents/guardians will be informed that attendance has a direct impact on student learning and achievement.  If the parent presents a challenge or conflict that inhibits attendance, our counselor will offer support, problem solving, or referral to an outside agency to further assist the family.  Follow up will occur as needed.

SCHOOL CALENDAR

To view a calendar of the school’s events, go to https://parentcoordinatorps188q.com/.

CONTACT INFORMATION

We hope this information is helpful to you! If you have questions about our Every Student, Every Day 2020-21 Attendance Policy and Plan, please contact us at 929-600-5683