Why is attendance important?

School attendance is the single most important factor in a student's academic achievement.  Quite simply, when students are here, they are learning.  When they are not here, they are not learning.  Year after year the state assessment data show that students with more than 10 absences score on average half as well as students who have fewer than 10 absences.  Due to the incredible importance of school attendance for the well-being of our students, Autumn Creek focuses a lot of attention on it.

What can I expect from Autumn Creek regarding attendance?

Communication

We as a school will work hard to ensure that we communicate with you frequently regarding your child's attendance.  

• At a student's first absence, you will receive an automated email from us to notify you, and to request a doctor's note or other documentation to excuse the absence.
• If a student is absent for 2 consecutive days, the classroom teacher will call you to see if they can provide any assistance, including work.

Communication with additional absences

• When a student reaches any of the following thresholds, the family will receive an email stating that further absences will be marked as Unexcused, even if accompanied by a note or parent phone call.  The student will also be added to our attendance watchlist so we can regularly monitor their absences throughout the year.
  • 5 absences excused by a parent call or note.
  • A mixture of 5 absences of any type (excludes doctor notes) ex:  unexcused, parent notification, etc
  • 5 or more unexcused absences
• If a student reaches 10 unexcused absences, a school administrator will be in contact with the family via phone or in-person to learn more about the reasons behind the school absences.  Students at this level will receive attendance incentive interventions at the school.

Are there any additional attendance items to be aware of?

Yes.  Students who do not attend school at least 75% of school days are subject to being held back in their grade level due to missing so much instructional time.  Per state law, the decision will rest with an Attendance Review Committee composed of staff of our school.  Their job will be to review the documentation related to a student's absences, meet with the family, and make a final decision on whether a student is placed in the next grade level or not.