Need to submit an absence note? Fill out the form.
- When a student is absent from school, please either complete the Absence Note Google Form (Click Here) or send in a handwritten note to school. Please submit the absence form / note at the end of your child’s absence period (If your child is absent from school two days in a row, send a note / fill out the form for both days on the day your child returns to school).
- Absence forms / notes must be received within 3 days of a student’s return to school in order for the absence to be considered for excusal. If a note or form is not received within 3 days, the absence(s) will be coded as unexcused.
- When a student is absent for 3 or more consecutive school days, a doctor’s note must be submitted in order for the absences to be marked as excused. Doctor’s notes can be attached to the google form or physically turned in to the school.
- When a student is absent for 2 days or less, a handwritten note or the google form is sufficient for excusal.
Notes do NOT guarantee an excusal. The reason given for the absence must match an accepted reason code within the district’s attendance policy. (Family trips for example, are not an accepted reason for missing school.) Email, text, Remind, Dojo or other electronic messaging to teachers or school staff CAN NOT be accepted as excuse notes. - Parent/Guardian notes are acceptable for up to 8 sickness absence occurrences in one school year. (If your child is absent two or three days in a row, that is considered one occurrence). Absences for sickness above 8 occurrences will only be marked excused with a doctor’s note.
- If a student arrives at school after 10:15 a.m, it will be marked as a half-day absence. This can only be excused with a doctor’s note.
- If a student is picked up from school before 12:55 p.m, it will be marked as a half-day absence. This can only be excused with a doctor’s note.
- If a student is picked up between 12:55pm-2:54pm, it will be marked as an early dismissal. Early dismissals are only excused with a doctor’s note.
If the nurse calls you to pick up your child due to illness, a doctor’s note is not required for the excusal of that school day or early dismissal. However, the nurse may request a doctor’s note for the student to return to school. - When a student reaches 3 unexcused absences, an auto-generated letter is sent home as a notice. Dates of absences are listed on the letter.
- When a student reaches 5-8 unexcused absences, the school attendance team will contact the family in order to set up a conference and create a Student Attendance Improvement Plan (SAIP).
- Students who reach 10 or more unexcused absences in a school year will be referred to truancy courtIf you have questions regarding the attendance policy, please contact one of our school attendance team members.Kara Ziai, School Counselor (kziai@philasd.org)
Ms. Espinosa, Principal, kespinosa@philasd.org
Ms. Serrano, School Secretary, zserrano@philasd.org
Kara Ziai, School Counselor (kziai@philasd.org)
Ms. Espinosa, Principal, kespinosa@philasd.org
Ms. Serrano, School Secretary, zserrano@philasd.org