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    Attendance Specialist: Ms. Maya McKenzie
    Location: Room 168 (next to the Commons)
    Phone: 206-252-4814 (voicemail only during remote learning)

    As we enter an unprecedented start to the school year, please note some new attendance procedures below. We are here to support students and their families and communication is key. Please contact us with any questions or concerns related to attendance and we will do our best to address your concerns as we also continue to adapt to the continually evolving situation.

    While we will be checking voicemail remotely, email is the preferred method of communication. 

    Attendance Policy

    Definition of absence from in-person learning:

    1. A student is absent from in-person learning when the student is:
      1. Not physically present on school grounds; and
      2. Not participating in the following activities at an approved location during a scheduled in-person learning day:
        • Instruction;
        • Any instruction-related activity; or
        • Any other district- or school-approved activity that is regulated by an instructional/academic accountability system, such as participation in district-sponsored sports.
    2. A full day absence from in-person learning is when a student is absent for fifty percent or more of their scheduled day.

    Definition of absence from remote learning (WAC 392-401A-016):

    1. A student is absent from remote learning when the student is not participating in planned instructional activities on a scheduled remote learning day.
    2. Evidence of student participation in remote learning may include, but is not limited to:
    • Daily logins to learning management systems;
    • Daily interactions with the teacher to acknowledge attendance (including messages, emails, phone calls or video chats); or
    • Evidence of participation in a task or assignment.

    Early Dismissals for In-Person Cohorts

    If your student needs to leave their in-person classes early, please note that we are not sending dismissal passes to classrooms in order to reduce potential exposures. Please arrange with your student ahead of time what time they need to leave; they can let their teacher know and leave directly from their class. There is no need to sign out, however please also remember that students cannot return to the building (that day) once they leave campus.

    You can email the Attendance Office to let us know that your student will have an early dismissal and it will be noted in their attendance record. Please also include the student’s teacher so they are aware that your student will be leaving class early.

    Attendance Procedures

    It is YOUR responsibility to keep track of your attendance and to make sure absence/tardy is excused in a timely manner. You may look on THE SOURCE to check attendance records.

    Teachers have TWO DAYS to enter attendance due to the nature of remote learning including asynchronous activities. School Messenger notification will still be sent out same day, however teachers are able to make changes based on student engagement; please allow for extra time when checking student records. The Attendance Office will make updates and communicate with teachers as quickly as possible. 

    Excusing Absences
    Parents/guardians must excuse absences via e-mail or phone within ONE WEEK of the absence/tardy (previously three days). Please include a valid reason when excusing absences. You CANNOT wait until the end of the semester to excuse all of your absences. After one week, the absences will NOT be excused.

    To help ensure that your student's attendance is accurate, please make sure to provide the date and/or periods relevant and reason of absence/tardiness. If no reason is provided, we cannot excuse your student. Thank you!

    When you call/email to excuse an absence/tardy, please include the following information:

    1. Student’s first AND last name,
    2. Date and periods of absence/tardy,
    3. Valid reason for absence/tardy (listed below),
    4. Your relationship with the student (e.g. mother, father, etc.), and
    5. Make sure you are emailing or calling from a number/email address listed in the student’s contact list.

    Update Your Contact Information

    Only contacts in our system under the student’s name are allowed to excuse an absence/tardy, so make sure that your contacts list is updated (phone numbers, email addresses, and contact names). Let the school registrar know if changes need to be made. We cannot make attendance changes or release records to contacts not listed in the student’s profile.

    **Due to the incredibly high volume, we cannot respond to every call and email. If all the necessary information is provided, please understand that it will be entered. We will respond as we deem necessary and we appreciate your understanding and patience.

    Pre-Planned Absence Form

    For absences that will last three or more days, please use the above attached form and email it back to:

    Excused Absences:

    Excused absences from in-person learning or remote learning (WAC 392-401A-020):

    Absences due to the following reasons will be excused:

    1. Illness, health condition or medical appointment 
    2. Family emergency, including, but not limited to, a death or illness in the family;
    3. Religious or cultural purpose, including observance of a religious or cultural holiday
    4. Court, judicial proceeding, court-ordered activity, or jury service;
    5. Post-secondary, technical school or apprenticeship program visitation, or scholarship interview;
    6. Absences due to suspensions, expulsions or emergency expulsions 
    7. Absences due to student safety concerns, including absences related to threats, assaults, or bullying;
    8. Absences due to a student's migrant status;
    9. An approved activity that is consistent with district policy and is mutually agreed upon by the principal or designee and a parent or emancipated youth;
    10. Absences related to the student’s illness, health condition, or medical appointments due to COVID-19;
    11. Absences related to caring for a family member who has an illness, health condition, or medical appointment due to COVID-19;
    12. Absences related to the student’s employment or other family obligations during regularly scheduled school hours that are temporarily necessary due to COVID-19 until other arrangements can be made, including placement in a more flexible education program;
    13. Absences due to the student’s parent’s work schedule or other obligations during regularly scheduled school hours, until other arrangements can be made;
    14. Absences due to the student’s lack of necessary instructional tools, including internet broadband access or connectivity;
    15. Other COVID-19 related circumstances as determined between school and parent or emancipated youth.

    Unexcused Absences:

    1. Absences from remote learning will be marked as a “non-truancy remote learning absence” until October 4, 2020. Such absences shall not be marked as excused or unexcused.
    2. Beginning October 5, 2020, any absence from remote learning is unexcused unless it meets one of the above criteria in WAC 392-401-020.
    3. If a student does not engage or demonstrate participation in any way, the student will be marked as an unexcused absence (unless the Attendance Office has been contacted with one of the above excusable reasons).

    If a student receives an automated call or e-mail for period(s) they were not absent in, the student needs to talk to the teacher. The Attendance Office will not make changes requested by the student or parent/guardian; we must be notified by the teacher. The teacher will confirm the error and let the Attendance Office know to make the change. Please check The Source after 3 days of talking to the teacher to make sure that the change has occurred.

    **During the period from September 4th, 2020 to October 4th, 2020, the “non-truancy remote learning absence” (coded as “RS” in The Source) will still produce School Messenger phone/email notifications per district requirement. These are not unexcused absences.