Attendance Procedures

Pennsylvania State Board of Education (PSBOE); Public School Code 1949, Section 13-1327:

A. An illegal or unexcused day of absence from school is any day of absence for reasons other than illness, health care, death in the immediate family, approved field trips, approved temporary absences, approved religious holiday, and any emergency approved by the principal. A student will not be permitted to make up work missed as a result of an unexcused absence. 
(Reference: Board Policy 5008R4 Make-up Policy.)

B. All absences require a written acceptable excuse by the parents/guardians/physician regardless of student’s age or the absence is considered illegal or unexcused. The written excuse must be presented to the school when determined by the Attendance Director or the Principal’s designee, but no later than three school days after the return from absence.

C. Parents/guardians are to be kept informed on a regular basis of their child’s attendance record/patterns. This will be done by letter, telephone, report card and/or conference.

D. On the fifth day of absence, a letter of concern is to be sent to the parents/guardians regarding the reason(s) for the absence. Documented (by an excuse from a physician or hospital)extended medical absences will be counted as one absence for the purpose of this clause. If a reason does exist, the  parents/guardians should return the letter to the school with a written explanation.

This letter of concern will include a section, which indicates that  upon total absences of thirty-five (35) school days, excused or  unexcused, the student may be considered for retention in  his/her current grade the following year. (Legal Reference:  School Laws of Pennsylvania 1327, 1329, 1338)

E. On the tenth day of absence, a letter will be sent from the school to parents/guardians requiring a medical excuse for each absence thereafter. Documented medical absences of three or more consecutive days will be counted as one absence for the 

All students will be considered tardy if they arrive after the opening bell. The first ten tardies will be excused if a note from parent/guardian is presented AND the excuse is deemed acceptable by the Building Principal or his designee; or a doctor’s excuse is presented. Upon the eleventh and subsequent tardies, a doctor’s excuse will be required for any student to be excused.

Pupils may be excused from school attendance to participate in an educational 
trip or tour at parent’s expense with the following provisions:

1. That a temporary absence form be procured at the school  office, filled out and returned to school. This form should be completed and turned in to the building principal ten (10)  days prior to the trip. No absence will be approved for over ten school days unless approved by the Superintendent or his 
designee.

2. That the itinerary, anticipated objectives of the trip, and expected outcomes for the child be listed.

3. That children be supervised by an adult acceptable to the Superintendent and parents.

4. That the Superintendent or his designee approves the trip.

A TEMPORARY ABSENCE FORM SHOULD BE SUBMITTED FOR CHILDREN WHO NEED TO BE RELEASED FOR PART OF THE SCHOOL DAY FOR PARTICIPATION IN A RELIGIOUS EVENT.

To download a temporary absence form, please click below.