Attendance Procedures

Reporting Absences

All day absences should be called in to 322-6100 Ext. 38142 and leave a message. Whether or not an absence or tardy is excused is determined by the school's administration. Absences and tardies are not automatically excused when a parent/guardian calls.

LAST CALL for CHECK OUTS is 3pm (2pm on Early Release days)

Procedures for Checking Students Out 

• For the safety and security of the students, below are updated guidelines and procedures for a student to be signed out or picked up from campus during the school day. 

If your child needs to leave during the school day: 

• We will no longer release a student from campus without either the parent or someone from the emergency contact list physically signing the student out. Please be prepared to come into school to sign out your child when needed. 

• Please bring your driver’s license/ID when picking up a student. For the safety of our students, we require a photo ID for verification. Only those individuals listed in the student’s data file will be allowed to sign out a student. The student must also come to the front office to check out before leaving the building. 

• If your student drives and has a medical/dental appointment or court date, then the student must present a signed note the same day they need to leave campus. A faxed note to 386-506-0001, or verifiable email may also be submitted to krsimons@volusia.k12.fl.us  at least 2 hours prior to the time a student needs to be released. Without a written notification, a student who drives may leave campus only if a parent or someone from the emergency contact list comes into the school and signs them out. 

• All students will incur an unexcused absence for their time off campus unless they return with a formal doctor’s note or a note from the court clerk within 72 hours of the absence. 

• Please remember, if your child becomes sick while at school, he/she must be seen in the school nurse’s office prior to leaving campus due to illness. If your student is too ill to attend classes, please be prepared to come to school to sign your child out for the day, unless the nurse can verify the student is too ill and will make contact with the emergency contact on file.  

 

Sample Definitions of Excused and Unexcused Absences (also applies for Tardiness and early dismissals)

Excused Absence (parent notification/documentation required):

Unexcused Absence:

Brief student illness/injury   Medical/ dental appointments (Dr. Note   required)   Death of an immediate family member   Religious holiday of the specific faith of the student (principal approved)   Compelled absence (judicial)   Natural/major disaster that would justify   absence (principal approved)   School-sponsored/related activity (principal   approved)   Other advance notice absences (principal   approved)   Insurmountable conditions (principal approved)

Missing school bus/oversleeping   Shopping/pleasure/vacation trips   Excessive illness (without physician   verification that medical condition  justifies pattern)   Failure to communicate the reason for the   absence

Early Dismissal

When a student needs to check out of school before the scheduled dismissal time, a parent must send a signed note with the following information:

• Student’s name and alpha code
• Reason for dismissal
• Time student is to be released
• Parent signature
• Phone number where parent can be reached to confirm validity of note.

Students must drop the parent note off in a basket located in the Main Office before school. All notes will be called for confirmation. Upon confirmation with the parent, a checkout pass will be delivered to the student at the dismissal time. The student will show the pass to the teacher and can leave campus. A Campus Advisor will collect the checkout pass at the gate leaving the property. If the student returns to school, they must check back in through the Attendance Office.

Checkout passes will not be given to underclassmen to leave at lunch time. In order for an underclassmen to leave during the lunch period, a parent must come in to sign the student out. This rule applies regardless of the reason for the checkout.

In case of illness, the student is to get a pass from their teacher and go to the clinic. If your student calls to tell you he/she is ill, please advise the student to go to the clinic. The nurse will call you and arrangements will be made to release the student.

A parent/guardian must be present to check a student out without a note. This is done in the Main Office and you must have your ID. Depending on the time of day and the location of your student, this may take up to 60 minutes, so please plan accordingly.