Absence or Tardy Notification

Good attendance is an important dimension of a child’s success in learning.  Although teachers endeavor to provide assistance when students have been absent, there are many learning experiences that cannot be re-created.

Parents are requested to call the Attendance Line answering machine,  (703-658-5555), by 8:30 am.  Parents may also email information to the school at @email. If the school is not notified an automated message is required to call you.  Parents should give the child’s name, the teacher’s name, and the number of days expected to be out.  Please leave specific details on the reason for the absence when leaving a message.  It is important for the school to know if your child has contracted a communicable disease such as chicken pox, conjunctivitis, strep throat, etc.  According to the Fairfax County Health Department Guidelines, any student suffering from fever and/or vomiting must remain out of school until they are symptom free for a minimum of 24 hours.

Any student not in the classroom by 8:45 is considered tardy.  A student arriving last should report to the office and obtain a tardy slip before reporting to the classroom.

Please notify the school in advance if a child is on a family trip.    Teachers do not provide homework assignments for family holidays.  Make-up class work will be available after three consecutive days of absence.

Virginia State Law

Virginia State law requires that each student who is absent from school must be reported each time by a responsible person. An excused absence is one for which parents/guardians have prior knowledge, consent, and a legitimate reason. Legitimate reasons include: illness of the student, death in the family, and observance of a religious holiday. Absences for family and student vacations are unexcused. According to School Board Regulation 2234, after the fifth unexcused absence the school is to refer the student to the attendance officer.

Dental and Medical

When a student needs to leave school for a doctor’s appointment or for any other reason, please send a note to the teacher in the morning. There is no need to call ahead.  When you come to the office to pick up your child, an office staff member will assist you. Students will not be called to the office prior to your arrival. All students must be signed out in the office. We will not release a child to anyone except the parent/guardian unless there is a note of permission signed by the parent or the person is listed on the emergency care card.  The note must include the name of the person who will be picking up the child.  Proper photo identification will be required. Students may be released to either parent/guardian provided there is no custody order from a court forbidding custody by a named parent/guardian.

Unexcused Absence

Absences for family and student vacations are unexcused. Students are responsible for completing any missed assignments. Teachers will provide the student and parent or guardian with missed work but are not obligated to provide assignments prior to family or student vacations.

Tardy Student Arrival

Tardy students arriving at school late must first report to the office for correction of attendance records. The first bell rings at 8:35 a.m. Teachers begin the instructional day at 8:35 a.m. as soon as the first student enters the room. The tardy bell rings at 8:45 a.m. Students who arrive in their classroom after 8:45 a.m. will be marked tardy. A student arriving late should report to the office and obtain a tardy slip before reporting to the classroom. 

Release of Student

If a child must leave early, parents are requested to send a note in advance and must sign the child out in the office at the appropriate time. The note should specify the name of the adult picking up the child if it is not the parent.  To protect instructional time, students will not be called to the office until a parent arrives at school to pick them up. Please allow sufficient time for your child to get to the office and for you to arrive on time to your scheduled appointment.

We will not release any child to any adult other than the parent/guardian or persons listed on the emergency care form.  Students may be released to either parent unless prohibited by a court order. If restricted custody has been legally established, a parent must furnish a copy of the custody order to be kept on file in the school office.