A well planned class provides learning opportunities for students every day. When a student is absent, they lose the educational benefits of being present in class and the dynamics of the class changes with each student absent. Unfortunately, it is often impossible to make up the "missed" experience - at least in its entirety - and to gain from this learning experience to the same degree that students would through group involvement in regular classes. We know, however, that absences can not be avoided when someone is sick or not well.
From a safety perspective, it is important for us to know when a student is not in attendance and why we ask for family support in communicating these absences.
Expectations & Protocols
- It is expected that students will attend classes from start to end, every school day – unless they are sick.
- All teachers will take attendance and keep a record of absences and lates in MyEducationBC.
- It is the responsibility of parents/caregivers of an absent student to contact the school for all daily absences. This is important from a safety perspective.
- When a student’s absence is not confirmed by parents/caregivers, teachers may contact home in the event of a questionable absence. Administration will also become involved if there is concern about an unexcused absence and when a trend in absences is developing for a student.
- For an absence of three or more days, families are expected to contact the teacher, academic counsellor, and/or administration to develop a plan to support the student to complete missed work. During the planning for an absence, families should understand that teachers likely can not pre-teach the lessons, nor provide make-up assignments to cover all the learning that will be missed.
- Teachers will, within reason, attempt to provide make-up work for excused absences (this includes absences due to illness.)
- Students who arrive late to school are expected to report to the main office to sign in.
- Students who are excused by a parent/caregiver and with their teacher’s knowledge to leave early, are required to report to the office to sign out. We must have contact or confirmation by a parent/caregiver.
- Students who are absent from any of their scheduled classes on the day of a co-curricular or extra-curricular activity (eg: a field trip, a sports practice or game, etc.) in which they are scheduled to take part may not be allowed to participate in that activity. Exceptions may be made for excused absences communicated through the office.
- Teachers will indicate due dates for work. The responsibility for timely completion of all make-up requirements rests with the student, with family support.
- If a school-related activity requires that students miss class time, students must inform the teachers of the classes they will miss in advance.
How To Report An Absence or Communicate About Attendance:
We are legally responsible for our learners from the time they leave your care in the morning to the time they arrive home from school at the end of the day. We require a parent/caregiver's confirmation that a child is absent, arriving late, or leaving early from school.
If your child is absence, arriving late, or leaving early please notify the school by using one of the following options:
1) Use our new online absence reporting tool available on our website >> HERE.
2) Email our secretary at clerical.mss2@sd8.bc.ca and specific teachers of all missed classes. Teachers’ email addresses are listed on our website >> HERE.
3) Contact the school by phone. You can leave a voice message for our secretary.
Thank you for your support. Please do not hesitate to reach out with any further questions or concerns.
