ATTENDANCE

Your child’s attendance at school directly affects us all.

WHY IS ATTENDANCE SO IMPORTANT?

Starting in kindergarten, too many absences can cause children to fall behind in school.
Missing 10 percent (or about 18 days) can make it harder to learn to read.
Students can still fall behind if they miss just a day or two days every few weeks.
Being late to school may lead to poor attendance.
Absences affect the whole classroom if the teacher has to slow down learning to help children catch up.
Attending school regularly helps children feel better about school—and themselves.
It helps to start building the habit of regular attendance in preschool so children learn that going to school on time, every day is important. Good attendance helps children do well in high school, college, and at work.

FOR YOUR INFORMATION:

New York State defines “chronic absence” as missing 10% or more of school days due to absence for any reason- excused or unexcused. Any student missing 18 or more school days over the course of the year is considered “chronically absent”, regardless of the reason for the absence. Absences that occur due to family vacation, errands, or oversleeping are unexcused absences. As a last resort, please be reminded that under New York State law, schools are obligated to take legal action if absences do not improve, academic progress is impacted, and parents do not take the steps necessary to improve attendance.

HOW TO SUPPORT YOUR CHILD’S EDUCATION:

Set regular bedtime and morning routines
Help children practice proper hand washing and hygiene, such as covering their cough and blowing their nose
Make sure children are dressed for the weather (especially hats and gloves during the winter), as they will need them on the bus and when going outside for recess
Don’t let your child stay home unless he or she is truly sick. Keep in mind mild complaints of a stomach ache or headache can be a sign of anxiety and not a reason to stay home. If your child seems anxious about going to school, talk to their teacher so we can figure out how we can make him/her feel comfortable at school and excited to learn
Develop a back-up plan for getting to school if something comes up, such as a 2-hour delay or an early dismissal. Ask a family member, neighbor, or another parent for help.
Use smart scheduling: Schedule medical appointments and extended trips for times when school is not in session.

WHEN SHOULD YOUR CHILD STAY HOME?

Our school recommends that you should not send your child to school if he or she has: •Fever in the past 24 hours

Vomiting in the past 24 hours
Diarrhea in the past 24 hours
Chills
Strep throat and pink eye (until they have been on an antibiotic for 24 hours) •Severe cold, runny nose or bad cough (especially if it has kept the child awake at night)
Lice (until treated according to the school nurse or doctor’s instructions)
If you are unsure if you should send your child to school, please contact our school nurse.

attendance regulations

Regular school attendance and punctuality are required of all pupils. Round Hill Elementary School's student schedule runs from 8:50 A.M. until 3:00 P.M. A child's learning may be seriously affected by repeated absences and/or tardiness. The faculty urges parents to make non-emergency medical and dental appointments for their children either after school or on weekends and during vacation periods. Most physicians, dentists, and orthodontists are cooperative when the importance of not disrupting your child's education is explained. When a child is absent for an extended period of time, he/she misses much more than just assignments. He/she misses the teacher's explanation, the class discussion, experiments, demonstrations, and the opportunity to ask questions. In short, the child misses the chance to receive as full an education as can be provided. Please consider this matter seriously. By stressing the importance of regular school attendance and punctuality, you will help your child establish a work ethic that will serve him or her well in the future.

If your child is late, he/she must report to the Health Office to obtain a late pass. If an absence is to be longer than one day, please phone the Health Office at 497-4000 ext. 25531 and report the child's name and the nature of the illness. Communicable health problems such as chicken pox, head lice, ringworm, conjunctivitis, etc. should be reported immediately. State law prohibits school attendance for children with these conditions.

Provision for school financial aid under New York State Law is affected by unnecessary absences as support is based on the average daily attendance of pupils. If your child is absent from school, the following procedures should be followed:

Give your child a signed written excuse for the absence indicating the date(s) and reason(s) for the absence.
When the child arrives at school, he/she will present the excuse note to the teacher.
If the absence was due to a communicable disease, the youngster will be asked to report to the school nurse for a brief examination to determine if the child should be in school.
The school nurse, after examination, will determine whether or not the child may return to class.