WP Attendance Procedures/ Pre Arranged Absences/Academies Attendance

West Potomac High School

NEW Attendance Procedures for Parents & Students

2018-2019 -  REMINDER!

Contacting the Attendance Office

• Room: 301A (In the Main Office)

• Phone: 703-718-2528

• E- mail: WPAttendance@fcps.edu;

• Attendance is checked daily each period and for full-day absences.

• Calls and emails are sent to parents at 10 a.m. and after 4 p.m. via an automated attendance system from FCPS.

• If you have sent an email/left a message regarding an absence, but still receive an auto call, please check SIS-Parent Vue to see if the attendance is correct prior to calling the Attendance Office.

• If you receive a call indicating an individual class absence, please verify/have your student verify with the teacher before calling the attendance office.
• NOTE: Students may not call or check themselves out.

Excusing an Absence

• A parent/guardian must provide a written note, email, or call to excuse an absence. This must be done within 48 hours after the absence in order for it to be approved. Please provide your student’s name, ID number and your name, work and home phone numbers on all notes and phone messages. If an absence is not excused, teachers are not obligated to provide make-up work or to administer any missed assignments. All notes, emails, and phone calls received after 48 hours will require administrator approval.

Excusing Check-ins

• A parent/guardian must provide a written note, email or phone call to the Attendance Office at the time of check-in. Students who fail to check-in will not have their absence excused.

Excusing Check-outs

• Written notes are required to be brought to the Attendance Office before 9:45 a.m. A pass will be given to the student stating the time the student is to be released from class. If the student returns to school that same day, he or she must report to the Attendance Office and check back in before returning to class. Students who fail to obtain a check out pass will not have their absence excused. The school is legally responsible for students during the school day and we need to know when your student is leaving.

Please Note: If a parent/guardian physically checks their student out through the Attendance Office, they must provide photo identification. This process must be done before 2:30 p.m. NO Students will be released after 2:30pm.

Unexcused Tardy

• Students arriving late to school without a note during the first 15 minutes of school will report to the SWEEP station nearest to their class. After the first 15 minutes, students must report to the Attendance Office to receive an UNEXCUSED tardy pass.

Prearranged Absences for Thansksgiving Holiday & Winter Break

If you plan to take your student(s) out of school prior to 11/21/18 and 12/21/18, you must complete the pre-arranged form and your student(s) need to turn it in to his/her administrator not later than 11/16/18 -below is the link to the form

• Pre-arranged absences can include religious holidays, college visits, etc. Whenever a student knows in advance that he/she will need to miss multiple days of school, the student must obtain a Prearranged Absence Form that must be signed by all of his/her teachers. The student must return the completed form to his/her Administrator  with the required signatures for final approval. Students are expected to make up any missed work. In the case of an approved prearranged absence during final exams, the Administrator will determine if the exam is to be taken early.

Note: Prearranged Absences are only excused if they meet the guidelines of Regulation # 2601.31 or are excused by the Principal or his/her designee.

Link for Prearranged Form: https://www.fcps.edu/sites/default/files/media/forms/se289.pdf;         

Excessive Absences 

• Excessive absences will result in interventions beginning at 5 absences.

• NOTE: Absences are counted cumulatively during the school year.

• Excessive tardies will result in consequences beginning at 7 unexcused tardies in a calendar month. NOTE: Tardy counts reset at the beginning of each calendar month.

• IMPORTANT: According to state law, any student absent from school for 15 consecutive days regardless of reason will be withdrawn from school. Parents will need to reenroll their students if this occurs.Attendance Policy--- Fairfax County Public Schools Regulation #2601.32P

" Students are expected to attend all classes and to arrive for each class on time. Students shall follow their assigned daily schedules unless properly excused by the principal or authorized representative. Each student shall provide a satisfactory written explanation from his/her parent for any absence from class, and any student who seeks to leave school during the school day shall submit in advance a written parent request directed by the principal. Principals may at their discretion, accept a personal or telephone contact with the parent in lieu of a written request."

The current version of regulation 2234, student absences and attendance regulations, provides additional details.” 2018 - 2019 SRR Booklet – Regulation 2601.32P

https://www.fcps.edu/policies-and-regulations;       

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Reporting Absences For WPHS Academy Students

If your student is absent for sickness/Dr. Appointment or any other reason and attends WPHS Academy or travels to Edison or Falls Church Academies:

In order to eliminate the phone calls you are receiving  reporting your student absent, you would need to call/e-mail both WPHS attendance office and the Academy attendance office your student attends.

The Attendance lines /emails are:

• WPHS attendance office: 703-718-2528 or
• WPAttendance@fcps.edu;
• Edison Academy attendance office: 703-924-8137 or Ms. White at: vlwhite@fcps.edu;                       
• Falls Church Academy attendance office: 703-207-4011or Ms. Fields at: Kmfields@fcps.edu;  

6500 Quander Road Alexandria, VA 22307  | Main Office: 703-718-2500
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