Student attendance is a shared responsibility between the School Board, parents, and students. Parents or guardians are legally responsible for ensuring their child's regular and punctual school attendance. When a student is absent, parents must inform the school of the reason no later than upon the student's return.
Excused absences include:
- Student illness
- Death of a family member or close friend
- Medical or dental appointments
- Family emergency
- Religious obligations
- Pre-approved family trips
- Inclement weather (even if school is open, if parent deems conditions too severe)
- One civic event day per year for middle/high school students
- Discipline or legal actions requiring absence
- Up to five days per year for 4-H educational programs (with potential for more days with principal's approval and specific documentation)
- One day per year for members of Virginia-headquartered tribal nations to attend a pow wow (with advance notice)
- Any other reason authorized by the school principal
Absences due to school cancellations by Frederick County Public Schools administration for specific student groups will also be excused and won't negatively impact perfect attendance awards. Students observing religious holidays will not be penalized for awards or opportunities, provided the absence is verified.
Unexcused absences include:
- Absences for work, unless part of approved co-operative education programs, work-based learning, or early release authorized by the principal.
- Leaving school early without the principal's permission.
- When school personnel have not received information that the student’s parent is aware and supports the absence.
- The parent provides a reason that is unacceptable to school administration.
Attendance Procedures and Consequences for Unexcused Absences:
- For any absence without parental awareness or an unacceptable reason, school staff will contact parents to obtain an explanation.
- Upon the fifth unexcused absence: The principal or principal’s designee will make direct contact with parents to discuss the absences and jointly develop a plan to resolve nonattendance.
- Upon additional unexcused absences (after the fifth): If nonattendance continues without parental awareness, a conference will be scheduled within 10 school days of the tenth absence, involving the student, parents, school personnel, and potentially an attendance officer or community service providers.
- If parents are intentionally noncompliant or the student resists attendance efforts, a referral may be made to the attendance officer, who may then file a complaint with the juvenile and domestic relations court, potentially leading to the student being declared a "child in need of supervision" or legal action against the parent.
- For students under 18 with 10 or more consecutive unexcused absences, the principal may request the juvenile and domestic relations court to suspend the student's driver's license.
Student attendance is regularly monitored and reported to state authorities.
For more information, please see the following: