Attendance

Please contact the front office regarding individual absences: 

Linda Hopkins

540-661-4420

lindahopkins@ocss-va.org 

 

Locust Grove Primary wants to partner with you to prevent Chronic Absenteeism!

• Chronic absenteeism correlates to low academic achievement.
• Absenteeism is a powerful predictor of dropout rates.
• Absenteeism has been linked to poor outcomes later in life.

Chronic absenteeism is defined as missing ten percent or more of the academic year for any reason, including excused absences, unexcused absences, and suspensions. Based on a 180-day school year, that means approximately 18 days per year or 2 to 3 days per month.

Truancy is the act of accruing one or more unexcused absences, where the parent is unaware of or does not support the student’s absence, or where the parent’s provided reason for the absence is not acceptable to the school administration.

Missed instruction, regardless of the reason, can have significant academic consequences. Therefore, the broader emphasis is on improving attendance for every student.

Please let us know how we can support your child's regular school attendance.

 

Student Attendance Policy- JED and JED-R - revised July 2018

Student attendance is a cooperative effort and the School Board shall involve parents and students in accepting the responsibility for good attendance. Each parent/guardian or person having control or charge of a child within the compulsory attendance age shall be responsible for such child's regular and punctual attendance at school as required under provisions of the law. 

All parents/guardians should inform the school regarding all absences.  Absences for which the school receives no information are considered unexcused.  Excused absences include but are not limited to: student illness, death or serious illness of a family member, doctor, dentist or therapist appointments, pre-approved travel for family emergencies or vacation, subpoenas for court, and religious observances.  Unexcused absences include but are not limited to the following: missed school buses, oversleeping, recreational activities, child care issues, and transportation issues.

A reasonable effort shall be made to contact a parent/guardian of each absent student every day, and to obtain an explanation for the student’s absence, where there is no indication that the student’s parent is aware of and supports the absence. A log will be kept of call attempts. Students who are absent must provide a valid note, send an email to the school, or call the school and state the reason for the absence upon returning to school or at least within 5 days of the first day absent. Unexcused absences shall be handled according to regulations issued by the superintendent (see Policy JED-R). 

A student is allowed up to ten parent/guardian “excused absence” notes. Upon the tenth absence that is excused by the parent/guardian without third party documentation (doctor, dentist, therapist, etc.…), a documented reasonable effort of contact by the principal or designee, will be made either by telephone, email, postal mail, school conference or home visit. The principal will require that any subsequent absences will need third party documentation in order to be excused. All absences not properly documented will be considered unexcused, and the unexcused absences policy and regulations will be implemented.

• Upon the fifth unexcused absence – A reasonable attempt to contact parent(s) by phone or other communication devices shall be made.   The principal or designee, pupil, pupil’s parent(s) shall jointly develop an attendance plan. 

• Upon the seventh unexcused absence – A conference with pupil, pupil’s parent(s), and school personnel shall be scheduled within 10 school days after the 10th absence to review the attendance plan.  The conference team consisting of a school administrator, school counselor, and attendance officer shall monitor attendance and meet again as necessary and plan additional interventions.

• Continued non-compliance with the attendance plan – The school counselor shall refer the student to the attendance officer who will schedule a conference with the pupil and pupil’s parent(s) within 10 days of being referred.  The attendance officer may file a complaint on student or file proceedings against parent(s).

Students shall attend school for a full day unless otherwise excused. Secondary students shall be scheduled for a full school day unless they are enrolled in a cooperative work-study program. All other exceptions to a full day schedule must be approved on an individual basis by the superintendent or designee.