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Absence Reporting

How to Report a Student Absence:

You have a few options on how to report and/or excuse absences when your child will be absent.

  1. The office will send a Parent Square notification of the absence (around 9:45am-10am), if you reply to the notification this acts as a note and the absence will excused (for absences 1-9, absences 10+ will need a note from a medical professional to be excused) or
  2. Sign into PowerSchool and fill out the Parent Guardian absence note (this note will excuse the absence for absences 1-9,  absences 10+ will need a note from a medical professional to be excused) or 
  3. Call the Attendance Clerk (203-294-5963) to report the absence (this will just inform the office, a signed note from home or a Parent Square or PowerSchool note is needed to excuse for absences 1-9,  absences 10+ will need a note from a medical professional to excuse ) or
  4. Email the Attendance Clerk at sbarile@wallingfordschools.org to report the absence (this will just inform the office, a signed note from home or a Parent Square or PowerSchool note is needed to excuse for absences 1-9,  absences 10+ will need a note from a medical professional to excuse) or
  5. If you know of an upcoming absence (i.e. for a medical appointment) you can send in a note ahead of time that will inform the office and excuse the absence.
  6. If you have any questions please refer to the districts attendance policy 5113, regulation 5113a: BOE Policies

Frequently Asked Questions

 

High School Attendance Policy: Frequently Asked Questions 2024-2025 School Year

This informational sheet has been designed to help parents and students alike understand the critically important and sometimes complex policies that govern student attendance at the high school level.  In this way, we hope to promote students’ welfare and to empower both students and parents to make informed, beneficial decisions.  The administration would like to gratefully acknowledge the guidance of the Sheehan Parent-Teacher Advisory Committee (PTAC) in the creation of this document. Revised 08/2024

What should I do when my child is absent?

In the event that your child is absent and will not be attending school, please call the Attendance Clerk (203-294-5963) before 9:30 a.m. to notify us that your son/daughter will be out and to verify the cause of the absence. When reporting an absence caused by a chronic illness, please inform the office that your son/daughter has a chronic medical condition for which documentation is on file.  Please remember that such documentation must be submitted annually. For the first 9 absences, a parent or guardian must submit a handwritten note or fill out the absence form in the PowerSchool parent portal for the absence to be considered excused (however, the absence will still count toward the loss of credit policy). If your child sees a doctor, medical documentation is needed to verify the school absence and can be brought to the main office upon the student’s return or faxed to the Attendance Clerk at 203-294-5980.  Every absence after the first 9 absences must be verified by a medical doctor: a parent note will not suffice.

What absences contribute toward loss of credit?

Nearly all absences—including routine illnesses verified by a doctor (i.e. viral illness, strep throat, sinus infection), DMV or court appointments, etc.—contribute toward the loss of credit.  The only exceptions are absences necessitated as a result of a chronic medical condition and absences resulting from a major medical procedure that are verified by medical documentation.  Such documentation is to be submitted to the office within ten days of the student’s return to school.  Students are allowed to take two mental health and wellness days that do not count toward loss of credit and are excused absences; however, students cannot take off consecutive school days for mental health and wellness.

How does absence from school affect my child’s participation in extracurricular or athletic events?

Students who are absent from school on the day of an extracurricular activity or athletic event (football or soccer game, etc.) are not allowed to participate in those events.  Exceptions may be approved by the school administration under extraordinary circumstances.  Students who are suspended, either in-school or out-of-school, cannot participate in any after school activities during the days of suspension.  This does include any activities happening over a weekend or vacation if the suspension is still in effect (i.e. Friday through Monday).  Students must be considered present at school for at least half of the school day in order to participate in extracurricular activities.

When does my child lose credit in a course?

Students lose credit in a course when they exceed limits set in Board of Education policy (5113).  Specifically, students at the high school level who are absent more than six times in a 0.5 credit course (i.e., a half year course), more than twelve times in a 1.0 credit course (i.e., a full year course), more than 16 times in a 1.5 credit course, or more than 18 times in a course that meets daily for the entire school year will lose credit for that course.  Warning letters are mailed home to parents of students approaching these limits.  Students who exceed these totals will lose credit and will receive information concerning the steps to follow to appeal that loss of credit.  Absences due to suspension from school, participation in an authorized school activity, observance of religious holidays or as a result of the failure of sending towns to provide transportation for nonresident students enrolled in Wallingford schools shall not be counted toward the loss of credit.  Finally, every 4th tardy to a class will equal an unexcused absence to that class and will count toward credit loss.

How does the appeals process work?

To initiate the appeals process, the student and/or parent(s) must submit through email a brief note requesting an attendance appeal.  The appeal must be based on unusual mitigating circumstances.  An Appeals Committee including the student’s assistant principal, student’s school counselor, and a teacher representative is formed.  The appeals hearing is then scheduled, at which the student and/or parent(s) are allowed to present their case for why the student’s credit should be restored.  Typically, a brief discussion of the situation will follow, after which the student and parent(s) are notified in writing of the committee’s decision.  The committee’s decision may be further appealed directly to the principal by writing a letter presenting the arguments to be considered.  The principal’s decision is final.  This process happens at the end of each semester, and students who need an appeal will be notified, as will their parents.

What is the difference between an excused absence and an unexcused absence?

At the high school level attendance is presented two ways: daily attendance and meeting attendance.  The meeting attendance represents a child’s attendance in each class that day.  The daily attendance represents a child being present in school for at least half of the school day.  The Board identifies a number of reasons why a student may legitimately miss school, such as illness, a death in the family, religious holidays, mandated court appointments, provided that appropriate documentation has been submitted to the school.  Absences resulting from these situations do count toward a loss of credit, even though they are considered excused absences.  An absence due to an out-of-school suspension or expulsion is also considered an excused absence, but does not count towards loss of credit.  A student is charged with an unexcused absence whenever the reason for the absence is not sanctioned as part of the Board’s list of excused absences, regardless of whether the parent knew of the absence, or if documentation is not submitted within ten days of the date of the absence.  Class cuts are also considered unexcused absences and will count toward the loss of credit limit. Finally, every 4th tardy to a class will equal an unexcused absence to that class and will count toward credit loss.

Do I need to submit doctor’s notes even though routine illnesses still count toward loss of credit?

Per Wallingford BOE policy 5113, for the tenth absence and all others thereafter due to illness, documentation by a medical professional is required, regardless of the length of the absence.  Such documentation is to be submitted within ten school days of the date of the absence.  For absences one through nine, medical documentation should be submitted if available, but at minimum a handwritten note or a note completed in the parent portal in PowerSchool or ParentSquare should be submitted.  Keeping school staff apprised of your son’s/daughter’s medical status enables us to do a better job caring for him or her.  Also, in the event that a student or parent chooses to appeal a loss of credit, such documentation, while not automatically eliminating absences, may help to establish mitigating factors for the Appeals Committee.  All medical documentation can be faxed to 203-294-5980 or by emailing the document to your child’s assigned assistant principal.

Will excessive absences result in my child being identified as a truant and/or chronically absent?

A student is identified as “truant” when he/she has four (4) unexcused absences in any 30 day rolling period or ten (10) unexcused absences in any school year, and a student is identified as chronically absent after having missed 10% or more of the school year at the school in which the student is enrolled..  The school administration will make a concerted effort to prevent and remedy truancy and/or chronic absenteeism in its early stages for students who are found to be truant or chronically absent.  These efforts will include holding a meeting with appropriate school staff and the student’s parents/guardians.  Please note that the Superintendent will be notified, as well as Youth and Social Services and the Wallingford Police Department’s Youth Division, if the parent fails to attend the required meeting with school personnel or fails to cooperate with the school administration in trying to solve a student’s attendance problem.  

How does tardiness to class affect my child’s attendance?

Arriving to class late creates serious disruption and is therefore discouraged.  If a student misses a class and is in school, such absence will be considered a class cut, unless such class absence has been authorized by a school official.  On the high school level, students who arrive to school after 8:10 a.m. on their assigned days will be given a cut in their period 1A/1B class.  Further, students who arrive 24 minutes or more late to class (periods 2-4) without a teacher being notified by the main office are also given a cut.  Class cuts are considered unexcused absences, count toward the potential loss of credit, and could have disciplinary consequences in school.  Finally, every 4th tardy to a class will equal an unexcused absence to that class and will count toward credit loss.

If my son/daughter has first period study hall, can I give my permission for him/her to arrive late to school?

Only students in grades 11 and 12 are entitled to a late arrival privilege if they have a study hall period 1A and/or period 1B, are in good academic standing, and have a permission form on file signed by a parent.  This form is located in PowerSchool under the forms tab after the sentence that ends with signed by a parent. The school is not accounting for those students whose parents signed permission to come into school late; therefore, unless the student has set up time to meet with a staff member, the school is not expecting them to be in the building.  These students must report to school in time for the second period of the day.  Failure to do so would result in disciplinary action.  Students in grades 9 and 10 may not report to school late even if they have a first period study hall and parent permission. 

What happens when my child arrives late to school?

Students who arrive after 7:30 a.m. will report to the greeters desk, provide their name, and will be sent directly to class and their classroom teacher will mark them tardy after 1A/1B class. The Attendance Clerk will address lateness by discussing the first tardy with the student, sending a notification to you, the parent/guardian, for the second tardy, and assigning your child a detention(s) for the third tardy.  Every 4th tardy to a class will equal an unexcused absence to that class and will count toward credit loss.  The office staff records students’ tardies, and consequences are imposed based on the number of tardies accrued.  The assistant principals contact students’ parents as needed.  Students who arrive to school after 8:10 a.m. are assigned a cut in their period 1A/1B class and those cuts count toward loss of credit.

How do I arrange for my child to be dismissed early from school?

When students need to be dismissed early from school a parent or guardian must call the main office. The office staff will explain the procedures for dismissal and any follow up documentation if needed, and then they will contact the student’s classroom for dismissal.

If my child is dismissed early from school, can he/she return to school on the same day?

Students who are dismissed from school before the end of the school day at the request of their parent will not be permitted to return to school on that same day unless the dismissal is for a medical/dental appointment, or a court appearance and such appointment is validated in writing by the doctor/dentist or a court official.  Exceptions to this may be made on a case-by-case basis by a school administrator.  Students who become ill during the school day may be excused by the school nurse and are not permitted to return to school.  The school nurse will inform parents of a return to school date.

If my child has a last period study hall, is he/she entitled to early dismissal privilege?

Juniors and seniors may take advantage of this privilege provided that their last period is a study hall, they are in good academic standing, and they have parent permission on file in the office.  This privilege may be revoked for disciplinary or academic failure reasons at any time by a school administrator.  The school is not accounting for those students whose parents signed permission to come into school late; therefore, unless the student has set up time to meet with a staff member, the school is not expecting them to be in the building.  Any student who has early dismissal privilege and parks his/her vehicle on school grounds must register the vehicle in the main office.  Early dismissal forms need to be filled out in PowerSchool through the parent portal.

Who should I speak to if I have further questions?

If you have any questions regarding this or any other policy, please contact your son’s/daughter’s assigned assistant principal (Mr. Marciano: A-K, Mr. Schmitt: L-Z).

The attendance policy is published in the student handbook and on the district’s website,www.wallingford.k12.ct.us.