FAMILIES & STUDENTS

Parents and schools need to work together for the betterment of the students. Parents play an important role in providing support and building the confidence of their children. 

Attending school regularly helps children feel better about school - and themselves. Your child can start building this habit in preschool so they can learn right away that going to school on time, every day is important. Consistent attendance will help them do well in middle school, high school, college, and at work.

DID YOU KNOW?

  • Starting in kindergarten, too many absences (excused and unexcused) can cause children to fall behind in school.

  • Missing 10 percent (or about 18 days) increases the chance that your student will not read or master math at the same level as their peers

  • Students can still fall behind if they miss just a day or two days every few weeks.

  • Being late to school may lead to poor attendance.

  • Absences can affect the whole classroom if the teacher has to slow down learning to help children catch up.

  • By 6th grade, absenteeism is one of three signs that a student may drop out of high school.

  • By being present at school, your child learns valuable social skills and has the opportunity to develop meaningful relationships with other students and school staff. 

  • Absences can be a sign that a student is losing interest in school, struggling with school work, dealing with a bully or facing some other potentially serious difficulty.

  • By 9th grade, regular and high attendance is a better predictor of graduation rates than 8th grade test scores.

WHAT WE NEED FROM YOU - We miss your child when they are gone and we value their contributions to our school. We would like you to help ensure that your child attends regularly and is successful in school. If your child is going to be absent, please contact the school at 540-892-5674 and let the secretary or bookkeeper know. In addition, when a student is absent from school for an entire day, or for one or more class periods, a parent or guardian must notify the school in a written, faxed, or emailed note within three (3) days of the student returning to school. The notification must contain the following:
      - the date the note is written;
      - the student’s full name;
      - the reason(s) for the absence(s);
      - the date(s) of the absence(s); and
      - the parent’s or guardian’s signature (acceptable by email if address can be verified by school)

Absences due to the following conditions will be considered excused if documented within
three (3) days of the student returning to school
       - Death in the immediate family.
       - Subpoenaed court appearance.
       - Medical condition (as documented by the parent and/or physician).
       - Religious Holiday (if such a holiday is verified and the school is notified in advance).
       - Other good and just cause as approved by the principal.  

Medical documentation is required to verify doctor’s appointments and may be required to verify 
illnesses. The principal will be the judge of the validity of any excuses. A principal may require medical documentation if a student has displayed a pattern of excessive absences.