ATTENDANCE

The West Valley School District has six elementary schools, each of which serves specific residential areas. To attend YOUR ELEMENTARY, students must reside within the YOUR SCHOOL boundaries or be granted a transfer from another West Valley elementary school. At the present time West Valley elementary schools are accepting out of district students, as space is available. Please contact the Central Office (972-6000) for more information about out-of-district enrollment.

EXCUSED AND UNEXCUSED ABSENCES

Students are expected to attend school each day. Teachers are responsible to submit absence and tardiness records to their building office, where attendance information is transcribed into the student’s record. In grades K-5, an absence for more than 90 minutes of the school day shall be counted as a half-day absence. You can help ensure your children’s success at school by providing them with nutritious breakfast, and getting them to school on time each and every day. On the rare occasions when your children must be absent from school, please do the following:

• Please call Mountainview office(972-5530) before 9:00 AM if your child will be
  absent or late to school.
• TO EXCUSE YOUR CHILD’S ABSENCE, you must call the office or send a signed, dated note explaining the reason for absence within two (2) days of your child’s return to school.
• FOR A PRE-APPROVED ABSENCE, please contact the office for a pre-approval form and to make arrangements for any assignments that may be missed during the absence.
• WHEN CHECKING OUT EARLY FOR APPOINTMENTS, LUNCH, ETC., parents must come to the office and sign their children out or send a signed, dated note explaining the special circumstances.

EXCUSED ABSENCES

The following are acceptable excuses for absences and tardiness. Assignments and/or activities not completed because of an excused absence or tardiness may be made up in a manner provided by the teacher: Absence due to illness, health condition, family emergency or religious purposes: When possible, the parent is expected to notify the school office on the morning of the absence and send a signed note of explanation with the student on his/her return to school. A parent may request that a student be excused from attending school in observance of a religious holiday. In addition, a student, upon the request of his/her parent, may be excused for a portion of a school day to participate in religious instruction provided such is not conducted on school property.

Absence resulting from disciplinary actions or short-term suspension: As required by law, students who are removed from a class or classes as a disciplinary measure, or students who have been placed on short-term suspension, shall have the right to make up assignments or exams missed during the time they were denied entry to the classroom.

Preapproved Absences: This category of absence shall be counted as excused for purposes pre-approved by the principal and the parent. An absence may not be approved if it causes a serious adverse effect on the student’s educational progress.

UNEXCUSED ABSENCES

When a parent/guardian fails to provide any type of excuse statement within two days of the student’s absence, that absence will be unexcused. This type of absence is also defined as truancy. The school will contact the home to correct the problem. After two unexcused absences in one month, a parent-student-principal conference will be held. Washington attendance laws mandate that the school notifies the juvenile courts after a child accumulates seven (7) unexcused absences in one month or ten (10) absences in one year. Your assistance in helping us comply with the law is appreciated.

TARDINESS

It is very important for children to arrive at school on time. Late arrivals are disruptive to the classroom and cause the late student undue stress. Please make every effort to get your child to school by 8:50 AM. When children are tardy, their parents must check them in at the office or send a written note explaining the reason for their delay. Tardies will be excused or unexcused according to the same standards as absences. When children miss more than 90 minutes of the school day, it shall be counted as a half-day absence. When a student’s tardiness becomes frequent or disruptive, the student shall be referred to the principal or counselor for counseling, parent conferencing, and/or disciplinary action in accordance with state and district regulations.