Attendance Policies

Absence Policy

If, for any reason, a child must be absent from school, parents should call the school attendance line before school begins each day that a child is absent.

Each school has a voice mail system that is available 24 hours a day. Parents can leave a message with absence information at any time, even when school is not in session.

Absences that have been accounted for through telephone communication do not require a written note when the child returns to school. However, if a child has had a communicable disease, a note is required from the doctor indicating that the child may return to school.

All children are expected to attend school on time every day. Repeated absence from school without a valid reason is considered truancy. The principal will contact parents as a first step in dealing with this problem.

School resources such as the nurse, social worker, etc. are available to assist in finding a solution. If the problem is not resolved at the local school, it shall be referred to the Truancy Officer at Suburban Cook County Regional Office of Education.

Tardy Policy

Students arriving after class time begins miss out on valuable instructional time. They may miss a set of directions, review items, or an important explanation of a concept or skill; all of which support and enhance the learning process for our students.

When students are late for school, they start their day rushed and hurried. This may make them feel a sense of anxiety and is not the calmest or most effective way to begin a day.

Besides the impact on your child’s educational experience, consider, also, that consistently being tardy may contribute to habits that become hard to break and can hinder children in other areas of their lives. We live in a society that values punctuality as a sign of reliability and dependability, as well as showing courtesy and respect.

Activity Restrictions

If your child is unable to participate in recess or PE due to an injury or illness, a parent or guardian must provide written notice to both the health office and PE teacher. That note is valid for a maximum of 3 days. A student who is unable to participate in outdoor recess or physical education classes for a period of more than three days must provide the school with an activity order from a health care provider licensed under the IL Medical Practice Act (MD, DO, PA or NP).

A student who arrives at school with a new cast, splint or orthopedic brace due to a recent injury must provide the school with an activity order from their healthcare provider.

It is also recommended that an activity order from a healthcare provider be provided for students returning to school after surgery or a hospitalization. Activity orders should specify the student's injury or medical diagnosis, the dates the student may not participate and a date to resume activity. Students with an activity restriction are restricted from similar extracurricular and/ or interscholastic activities during the activity restriction time period.

Students may not resume activities until a release from the healthcare provider is provided to the school.

When Students & Staff Should Stay Home for Illness

It is difficult for a child who is not feeling well to learn. It's best for them to stay home until they are well enough to have a positive, productive and healthy school experience. The same is true for staff. There are many reasons why an individual may not be feeling well, including:

Common Cold
Strep Throat
Influenza
RSV
COVID-19
Stomach Flu/Norovirus
Conjunctivitis
Bronchitis/Pneumonia
Hand Foot and Mouth Disease

Staff and students should stay home if they have:

Fever (temperature of 100.4°F or greater)
Vomiting
Diarrhea
Undiagnosed rash
Communicable diseases (such as strep throat, influenza, chicken pox, measles, etc.)
Pink eye (conjunctivitis)
Head lice infestation (live head lice)

Before a student or staff member may return to school, they must be free of fever, vomiting and/or diarrhea (without fever-reducing medication) for 24 hours. If an individual has been prescribed antibiotic medication for a rash, communicable diseases and/or pink eye they may return to school after completing 24 hours of prescribed medication.

When the above noted symptoms occur during school, parents will be contacted to pick the child up from school within the hour. An ill or injured student who is sent home may only be released to the parent/guardian or emergency contact provided by the parent/guardian. In the event of a serious or life-threatening injury or illness, EMS services/911 will be called to provide care. It is important that the school has accurate parent phone numbers and emergency contacts. Please keep the school office up to date with current contact information.

Attending after-school events should be avoided when your child does not attend school due to illness symptoms or is sent home from school with illness symptoms. Best health practices recommends children remain home, in recovery, until they are no longer contagious and free from symptoms for 24 hours.

It is required that parents/guardians call school to report their child’s absence. To prevent the spread of illness in the classroom, parents/guardians are encouraged to report symptoms and the student’s diagnosis to the school.

We encourage you to have your child evaluated by a health care provider to determine the cause of their illness.

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