Attendance Policies and Procedures

Attendance Procedures

Attendance is critical to success in school. Missing 10 percent of school for any reason is considered chronic. Absences can affect the whole classroom if the teacher has to slow down learning to help children catch up. Attending school regularly helps children feel better about school--and themselves.

Daily Attendance

FCPS uses a computerized attendance system which records absences and tardies for each period of the school day. The attendance record of each child is considered a legal document, and schools must ensure that accurate records are kept. FCPS sends automated calls in the morning and evening to parents/guardians of students who have unexcused absences for that day.

When a student is absent, it is the responsibility of the parent to call the attendance line (each day the child is absent) to report the absence. To avoid receiving an automated call-out in the morning, please report absences prior to 8:00 a.m.

Attendance Reporting Methods

Parents/legal guardians may report absences, late arrivals, or early checkout in one of these three ways.

When describing the reason for an absence, late arrival, or early checkout, please be specific about the reason. If ill, please indicate whether your child has any of the following symptoms:

  • Feeling feverish or chills
  • Fever greater than or equal to 100.4 F
  • Headache (not due to another health condition, hunger, menstrual cramps stress, or injury)
  • A new cough (not due to another health condition)
  • Shortness of breath or breathing difficulties (not due to diagnosed respiratory condition or if different than normal pattern of chronic condition)
  • A new sore throat (not due to another health condition)
  • Congestion or runny nose (not related to allergies or health condition)
  • Fatigue (more tired than normal or sudden onset)
  • New muscle pain (not due to another health condition or that may have been caused by a specific activity such as physical exercise))
  • New loss of taste, smell, or appetite
  • Abdominal pain (not due to hunger, constipation, injury, or stress)
  • Nausea, vomiting or diarrhea

Excused and Unexcused Absences

Examples of excused absences include:

  • illness
  • death in the family
  • medical and dental appointments
  • observance of religious holidays
  • family obligations

A parent must call the attendance line or send in a written note to excuse an absence. Absences that are not reported by a parent/guardian will remain unexcused until the office receives a phone call or written notice.

Examples of unexcused absences and tardies include:

  • missing the bus
  • oversleeping
  • excessive traffic
  • not wanting to go to school

Sometimes coming late or leaving early is unavoidable. However, this also can create issues for academic subjects. Please consider with your child and follow these procedures when arriving late or checking out early.

Late Arrivals

Students arriving to school after 7:30 a.m. must report to the main office and check in immediately upon arrival. This includes arrival during class changes. A parent may accompany a student to provide an explanation, or the student may bring in a signed note from a parent/guardian. Parents may also use the attendance line to report tardies.

Early Checkout

We understand that there may be times when a student needs to leave early for an appointment, travel, or other obligation. Students should bring in a written note to the main office in the morning of the early checkout day to receive a pink checkout pass. This pass will allow them to leave class, pack up, and be ready in the main office for parent pick-up at the specified time. Students must be signed out by a parent/guardian with valid identification. Please be sure to bring your ID with you each time.

Please avoid requesting a student for last-minute pick-up after 2:00 p.m. School dismisses at 2:15 p.m. and depending on which class a student is in and how busy office staff are, it can be difficult to pull a student before the dismissal bell.

Bus Notes

If you wish for your student to ride the school bus home with another student, you must send a handwritten note or email Mrs. Novelo at @email (calls/voice messages will NOT be accepted). Each student's parent must give permission; notes/emails must include student's name, date, and bus number. These notes/emails are to be brought/sent to the main office at the start of the school day. The main office will then issue a bus pass. Without the handwritten notes or emails we will not be able to issue bus passes.

Here Comes the Bus

Here Comes the Bus® is now available. This is a school bus tracking app that provides parents and guardians with real-time bus locations through text or email alerts. Here Comes the Bus® combines GPS and bus routing data in an easy-to-use, customizable app that works on one or multiple devices including smartphones, tablets, or desktop computers.