Reporting Absenses and Tardiness
Children should be in school on time and for the entire day unless they are ill or there are unavoidable circumstances acceptable to the principal. Vacation and days off for pleasure are not acceptable excuses and are discouraged. Scheduling appointments during school hours should be avoided whenever possible. A written note of explanation from the parent/guardian is required for each student's absence. For safety reasons, parents/guardians need to report their child's absence to school on a daily basis. You may call the absentee line at 703-913-6868 to report student absences/tardies from 4:30 p.m. the day before until 8:15 a.m. the day of the absence. After 8:15 a.m., call the school office at 703-913-6800. The office is responsible for verifying student attendance. When a child is expected to be absent due to illness or injury for an extended period of time, the school office should be notified. In some instances, children may qualify for homebound instruction.
Tardiness / Early Release
The first bell rings at 8:20 a.m., and a student is tardy if he/she is not in the classroom when the second bell rings at 8:35 a.m. Please help ensure your children arrive on time so they do not feel rushed as they begin their day. Students should have their coats and backpacks put away and be ready to begin instruction by 8:35 a.m. Students arriving later than 8:35 a.m. should be accompanied to the office by a parent/guardian to sign them in before going to class. Emergencies are the only time students should arrive late to school. If a situation arises and a student needs to leave school early, parents/guardians should report to the office to sign their child out of school. Please send a note to the teacher to be used as a hall pass on that day.