Dear Families,

Regular attendance and being on time have a direct impact on students’ academic success. When students are absent, late, or leave school early, they not only fall behind on what the class is learning, but also miss opportunities to build social relations with their peers. The beginning of the day is an important time when children connect and learn what is happening that day. It can be hard for them to settle in and focus when they have missed those first minutes.

Need help? We are here to support you if your family is struggling with getting to school on time and attending regularly! See some tips below and reach out to our Counselor, Sacia Stiles, if your family needs extra help with this.

What to do: Any time your child will not arrive at school by 8:30 am, please call the attendance line at (541) 790-7225 and leave a message with the reason. 

Here are some definitions:

• Excused absences: sick, medical/dental, injury, weather, bereavement, family emergency, religious, and, on a limited basis, planned absences. 

• Unexcused absences: all others. If we don’t hear from you or know the reason for the absence, it is also coded as Unexcused.

• Late: arrives after 8:35am.  A late arrival to class will only be excused with a valid reason (i.e., Illness, doctor’s appointment, emergency). Late arrival due to traffic, over-sleeping, car trouble or personal reasons are not typically excused.

• Early Departure: leaves during class and does not return. 

What happens when my child is late or absent? 

You will receive an automated phone call. When there are several unexcused absences in a short amount of time, you will receive a letter and our counselor may give you a call to check in. These are our efforts to make sure you are aware of the absences and to see if there are ways we can help.

Does it matter if the absences are excused? Yes. School attendance laws say that students who are five years of age and are enrolled in a public school are legally required to attend on a regular basis. If the student has 8 unexcused half-day absences in any four-week period, they are considered truant. We hope to work with you so that we never reach that point.

Need a few morning tips?

• Have clothes and shoes ready the night before. Putting clothes on before bed can save even more time!

• Have backpacks and lunch boxes easy to find.

• Children need 9-12 hours of sleep per night. A good bedtime routine makes getting enough sleep easier - start early!

• Set several alarms, just in case.

• Have a visual schedule kids can see as they get ready (ex. brush teeth, put on shoes, etc.). With your help, kids can draw this and practice on the weekend.

Thank you for all that you do to support your child’s education!