Attendance Matters at W.R. Thomas Middle School
Attendance Manager:
Ms. Heydi Robles
305-995-3800
roblesh@dadeschools.net
Email 6901attendance@dadeschools.net
Regular and punctual school attendance is crucial to student achievement and academic success.
According to the “Absences Add Up Campaign,”
“Encouraging regular school attendance is one of the most powerful ways you can prepare your child for success—both in school and in life. [And] when you make school attendance a priority, you help your child get better grades, develop healthy life habits, avoid dangerous behavior and have a better chance of graduating from high school.”
Read more at http://absencesaddup.org/importance-of-school-attendance/.
Therefore, we would like to remind you of our attendance policies at W.R. Thomas Middle School and encourage you to support us in improving your child’s opportunities for success through regular and punctual school attendance.
School begins each day at 9:10 am. Students should arrive to school no later than 9:00 am, so that they have enough time to arrive to their classroom by the 9:10 am bell.
Students who arrive tardy to school (i.e., after 9:10 am) will earn an unexcused tardy for the day, unless official documentation justifying the date and time he or she missed school is provided to the school Main Office. (Official documentation may include a note from a medical provider, proof of a medical appointment, law enforcement reports, and court or subpoena orders).
Tardies to school without official documentation substantiating the tardy may be excused on a case-by-case basis and will require a parent meeting with an administrator.
Excessive tardies to school will ultimately result in the loss of student privileges to participate in school sponsored activities and/or athletic events.
School Attendance defined: Students are to be counted in attendance only if they are actually present for at least two (2) hours of the school day.
Class Attendance defined: Students are to be counted in class attendance if they are physically present in class for at least half of the class period, have been excused by the teacher on a class-related assignment, or have been requested by a member of the school support staff for an approved school activity.
It is the parent’s responsibility to report and explain their child’s absences and/or tardies to school. Absences may be excused with written notification to the school within three (3) days of the absence(s) for the following reasons:
o Student illness (5 or more consecutive days of missed school will require a written statement from a health care provider)
o Medical appointment
o Death in the family
o Observance of a religious holiday or service
o Official school-sponsored event or activity
o Court subpoena
o Outdoor suspension or alternative educational assignment
Any other extenuating circumstances beyond the control of the parent or student are subject to administrative approval.
Any absence that does not fall into one of the above “excused absence” categories is to be considered unexcused. Any student who has been absent from school will be marked “unexcused absent” until he or she submits required documentation as specified above. Failure to provide required documentation within three (3) school days upon the student’s return to school will result in an “unexcused absence.”
It is the student’s responsibility to request make-up assignments from his or her teacher(s) for all days of excused absences/tardies upon his or her return to school or class. It should be noted that all classwork, due to the nature of instruction, is not readily subject to make-up work.
It is also the student’s responsibility to complete the make-up assignments for classes missed within three (3) days of his or her return to school. Failure to make up all assignments may result in a lower assessment of the student’s academic and/or effort grade. Extensions to the three (3) day time limit may be made in extenuating circumstances with the discretion of the teacher and/or with administrative review and approval.
Unexcused absences do not require that the teacher provide make-up work for the student.
Early Sign-outs: The early release of students causes disruption to the academic performance of all students and may create safety and security concerns. No students shall be released within the final thirty (30) minutes of the school day (i.e., after 3:20 pm).
Please email: 6901attendance@dadeschools.net
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