- Northside Middle School
- Attendance
- Chronic Absenteeism and School Accreditation
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Virginia schools began the school year with new accreditation standards. Here is a link that provides details (Go to “h” to read about the definition of Chronic Absenteeism):
https://law.lis.virginia.gov/admincode/title8/agency20/chapter131/section380/
Absenteeism now impacts accreditation. The state makes no distinction between excused and unexcused absences. If a student misses more than 10% of the school year, it is considered chronic absenteeism.
Last year, more than 10% of all Northside Middle School students were considered chronically absent. We must ALL work together to reduce chronic absenteeism. We want your child to be in school. It is difficult to teach students who are absent. Thanks for your help!
Please remember:
- If a student is going to be absent, please report the absence to Attendance at 562-3900, ext. 33008. This will remove the student from the daily absentee call list reducing the number of calls the school makes and the parent receives.
- However, for the absence to be excused, a doctor/dentist/professional note is required from appts. and should be brought to the Attendance Office when the student returns to school. For other reasons, a parent note should be brought to the Attendance Office when the student returns to school. A note must be sent regardless of whether a call was placed to the Attendance Office to report the absence.
- For a planned or extended absence (trip, surgery, observance of religious holiday, etc.) to be excused, a note should be sent to the Attendance Office prior to the absence for Admin. approval.
- Examples of excused absences with proper documentation include illness, planned/extended absences with Admin. approval, death in family/funeral, school-sponsored activities, the observance of a nationally-recognized religious holiday with prior notice, court appearances or medical appts./procedures.
- Please note that if absences excused by parent notes become excessive, the school will require additional documentation for the absence to be excused in accordance with new attendance policies.
- Please refer to the attendance policy on Infosnap for additional information regarding excessive tardies and absences without parental awareness/documentation or regarding the notification letter process. E-mails are accepted as parent notes and can be sent to borange@rcps.us.