Attendance: Policy 204
Once your child is enrolled in grades K-12,they are subject to attendance laws in Pennsylvania. When a child is absent from school, he/she misses a day of learning. Since each day’s learning builds upon previous information, it is essential children attend school regularly. As a parent/guardian, you can help your child to see attendance as an important part of his/her education in the following ways:

1. Do not keep your child home for minor ailments.

2. Show an active interest in your child’s activities.

3. Encourage your child to develop good time management habits.

4. Compliment your child on his/her accomplishments.

5. Refuse to write false excuses.

6. Discuss your child’s school day with him/her.

7. Encourage your child to be involved in school activities. 8.

8. Participate in school activities yourself

When a child is absent from school, a written excuse indicating the child’s full name, date(s) of absence(s), and reason for being absent and signed by the parent or legal guardian must be presented to the office within 3 days. Learners absent for 3 or more consecutive days must present a note from a doctor, not a parent or guardian, to return.

f no excuse is received, the absence will automatically be coded unexcused/illegal. All unexcused/illegal absences that total 3 days and beyond are referred to the school principal. Act 29 of the Pennsylvania Public School Code makes the following provisions for any or all of the consequences for unexcused/illegal absence from school:

• Payment of fine plus court costs

• Required community service for a period of up to six (6) months(This applies to parents/guardians of a child 12 years of age or younger.)

• Completion of a mandatory parenting education program

Ten days absence will generate a letter home indicating a learner’s attendance status and stating that a doctor’s excuse will be required for future absences to be excused/legal. These absences include the running total of all absences, including medically excused absences, educational trips, and unlawful absences. Students with ongoing medical concerns and a standing doctor’s note will still receive this notification. Standing medical notes are required to be updated yearly with the school nurse.

Attendance Codes- Time Of Day - Effective January 2, 2023

Attendance at School Sponsored Events:
If a learner is not in school during the day, they are not permitted at school-sponsored events that evening.

Tardiness/ Early Dismissal:
Children arriving after 7:50AM (Secondary) and 8:50AM (Elementary) will be considered tardy. Children leaving after 2:15pm will be considered an early dismissal. When a learner accumulates 351 unexcused minutes, an illegal full day absence will be added to the system. An unexcused tardy/ early dismissal is defined as one in which a child is not signed in by a parent/guardian, does not have an acceptable written excuse from a parent/guardian, and/or does not have a doctor’s excuse for an appointment that day. If there are an exceptional number of tardies/early dismissals, even with a parent/guardian sign-in or excuse, we reserve the right to begin coding them illegal at our discretion. The parent/ guardian will then be subject o the above stated attendance consequences, including referral to the building principals and citations with the court.

Arrival/Dismissal:
Learners arriving by car may be dropped off no earlier than 8:30 for breakfast. For safety reasons, learners are not permitted to arrive prior to 8:40AM unless they are involved in the breakfast program or a scheduled before school program. A learner’s arrival to school between the hours of 9:51AM and 2:15 PM is considered a half day absence. A learner arriving at school after the hour of 2:30 PM is considered a full day absence. Learners leaving school for scheduled appointments will be given a Dental/Medical form that will need to be signed by the doctor or dentist and handed in to the office upon return to school. If the form is not returned within 3 school days, the day will be coded illegal or unexcused.

Emergency Closing of School:
When inclement weather necessitates the closing of school, local radio stations will broadcast the information .A phone call will also be sent out to parents/guardians via the school district’s Boro Blast system and it will be posted on the school's website. It is requested that parents/guardians do NOT call the school or district offices. Emergency arrangements should be made by you, and your child should be familiar with what is expected on these days.

Make Up Days:
In the event that school has been closed because of inclement weather, days designated as vacation may have to be used to make-up missed school days. Make-up days will be used in the following order:

Flexible Instructional Days (FID Days):
A Flexible Instruction Day (FID) is a program available to public school entities to be used as an alternate approach to delivering instruction if a circumstance arises that prevents instruction in a customary manner. WASD was approved for 5

FID days for the 2024-25 school year. These days will be used, if needed, for inclement weather or other emergencies once all the scheduled inclement weather days have been used.

Excuse for Religious Reasons:
Parents/guardians who desire to have their child excused from school to observe religious holidays, conferences, etc., should make this known in writing to the principal. In addition, parents/guardians who desire to have their child excused from parties, celebrations, etc., due to religious reasons should submit a written statement to have their child excused.

Release from School for Trips: Policy 204.1
The PA Department of Education allows local school districts to approve absences legally for the purpose of educational trips. In order that a fair appraisal may be given to requests, the parent or guardian is asked to give a brief statement regarding the nature of the trip and its anticipated educational value. The student should notify his/her teachers ten (10) school days in advance by completing an educational trip form. Trips should be limited to five (5)school days per year, unless special circumstances warrant otherwise. Upon the student’s return to school, all work must be completed by the end of one week (5 school days).

Appeal of Denial
When a request for an educational trip has been disapproved at the building level, the parent/guardian may submit a written request to the building administrator to reevaluate the issue. The written request, accompanied by a recommendation from the principal, will be submitted to the Assistant Superintendent for review.