Student Attendance

Regular, punctual attendance is extremely important for your child’s educational progress, at all ages, and it's required by law. Our school office appreciates receiving a call when your child is going to be tardy or absent.

To report your child’s absence:  

Before 8:10 am, please call our Attendance Line to speak with our office staff, or leave a message. If you make this call, it will not be necessary to write a note after the absence. If the office has not heard from you by 9:00 am, parents/guardians will be notified.

Making up work:  It is important that students make up work when they have been absent. Please remind your student to ask their teacher what work they need to make up or reach out to your student's teacher.

Truancy or unexcused tardiness:  Any student arriving late to school, after 8:10 am, is considered tardy. If you are tardy to school, you must report to the front office and sign in. Tardy students must have a pass from the office in order to be admitted to their classrooms.  Please help teach your students the importance of punctuality:

  • 7:45 a.m. - School opens and breakfast is served.

  • 8:10 a.m. - Bell rings. Students line up and enter their classrooms.

Attendance Line:

509-852-4935

Please include:

  • Student's name - please clarify spelling

  • Student's grade

  • Date of absence

  • Reason for absence

SICK CHILDREN…. send or stay home?

Attendance Matters!

DID YOU KNOW?

  • By being present at school, your child learns valuable social skills and has the opportunity to develop meaningful relationships with other students and school staff.

  • Starting in kindergarten, absences can cause children to fall behind in school.

  • Missing 10 percent (just two days a month or about 18 days in a year) increases the chance that your student will not read or master math at the same level as their peers.

  • Students can still fall behind if they miss just a day or two days every few weeks.

  • By 6th grade, absenteeism is a sign that a student may drop out of high school.

  • By 9th grade, regular and high attendance is a better predictor of graduation rates than 8th grade test scores.

WHAT YOU CAN DO:

  • Set a regular bedtime and morning routine.

  • Prepare for school the night before, finishing homework and getting a good night’s sleep.

  • Follow our guidelines when to keep your child home due to illness.

  • If possible, avoid appointments and extended trips when school is in session.

  • Develop back-up plans for getting to school if something comes up. Call on a family member, a neighbor, or another parent.

  • Keep track of your student’s attendance. Missing more than 9 days could put your student at risk of falling behind.

  • Talk to your student about the importance of attendance.

  • Talk to your students’ teachers if you notice sudden changes in behavior.

  • Encourage meaningful afterschool activities, including sports and clubs.