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Attendance
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Regular attendance at school is an important part of every student’s success and is necessary in order to gain the greatest benefit from the educational experience. Students who are frequently absent from school miss direct instruction and regular contact with their teachers. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania law and School Board policy require regular daily attendance. When absences accumulate, it may ultimately result in academic difficulty.
Absences shall be treated as unlawful until the school receives an excuse explaining the absence via the SchoolMessenger SafeArrival System or via an electronic absence note. If parents/guardians do not report an absence using the SafeArrival System or miss the cutoff, they have 5 days after an absence to submit a written note. A maximum of 10 cumulative, lawful absences shall be permitted during the school year. Request for excusal of absences after 10 lawful absences shall require a written physician’s note.
An unlawful absence shall be defined as an event in which a student is absent without a timely report via the SafeArrival System or a valid, acceptable note. A student is considered habitually truant when he or she accumulates 6 or more unlawful absences.
Absences must be reported via the SchoolMessenger SafeArrival System. If you do not report the absence using the platform before the cutoff time, a written electronic absence note must be sent to the school (within 5 days of the absence) or the absence will become unlawful. A letter will be sent home if a child accumulates 3 or more unlawful absences documenting truancy. If a child accumulates 6 or more unlawful absences, the school will be required to file a referral for court or a CYS referral.
Please refer to Penn-Delco’s Attendance Policy 204 and go to the District Attendance section of the website for more information.
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Absence notification
If your child is going to be absent, you must use the SchoolMessenger SafeArrival System by 9:25 AM. If your child is marked absent and no call is received, an automated caller will call your primary number to verify the absence. If no explanation is given via the system by 11am, you must supply an electronic absence note. Please leave the child’s full name, grade, homeroom, and reason for absence. The note must be received within 5 days of the absence.
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Early Dismissal
It is expected that all efforts be made to schedule appointments during non-school hours. However, it is also understood that events occur for which we are unable to prepare. If an early dismissal is needed, a report can be made in the SchoolMessenger SafeArrival System or by using an electronic absence note. The note should contain the parent’s phone number, time and date of dismissal, and the reason for the dismissal.
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Lateness
When a student is late to school, he or she must report to the office with either a report made in the SafeArrival system or a note before proceeding to class. A parent or guardian must accompany elementary students.
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Vacations
Vacations should not be planned when school is in session. If a vacation during the school year cannot be avoided, it cannot be considered an excused absence unless requested in writing and pre-approved by the principal. Vacations for students in grades 3, 4, or 5 will not be approved one week before or during the PSSA testing window. The district will approve up to 5 vacation days per student per year. Students will be required to make up classroom work within five days of the student’s return unless other arrangements are made with the teacher.
