​Attendance Procedures | December 2023
*Attendance is taken in each class as part of our legal obligation.  A student is marked present for class when they are physically in their class.  This means students who are not in class, are marked absent.
Why the change?  We are experiencing a large number of late arrivals, which interrupts classroom procedures, learning, and student engagement. Students are arriving late to class between periods, which is problematic and a safety concern.
We want to have timely, accurate attendance for families to be informed of their student(s)'s attendance.
Student Expectations:
When the warning bell rings, students make their way to class with their learning materials.
Second bell rings to indicate class has started.
When transitioning between classes, students are expected to get the materials they need and make their way directly to their next class.
Students are expected to be in class when directed by teachers and the bell schedule.
Students must ask permission to leave the room for a washroom or water break and must get a hall pass from their teacher.
Students will not be permitted to leave during the first twenty minutes of class, particularly following the bell at the start of the day or the bell signaling classes after lunch.
If a student is not present in their classroom, they will be marked absent when teachers take attendance.
If a student leaves class without permission and does not return, their attendance will be adjusted to absent (A).
Warning bells:   bells indicate students are to be moving to class with materials and are ready for learning when the final bell rings to indicate class has started.
Late slips:  We will no longer issue late slips at the office. Student attendance will be taken in classrooms when they arrive, and the time of arrival will be noted.
Staff Expectations
Teachers are expected to take attendance at the start of class.
If a student arrives late to class, teachers will change their attendance from “absent" to “late", and will make a note regarding how many minutes into class they arrived. IE 25 minutes late.
If unable to make note of late arrivals in PowerSchool, the teacher will call the office to ask for attendance to be changed.
Teachers are expected to issue a hall pass to students who leave the room (washroom or water breaks are at the discretion of the classroom teacher).
Teachers will no longer use the “Leave Early" indicator, as this indicates the student has left the building (often due to appointments). 
If a student arrives late and has missed most of the class, teacher will leave their attendance as “absent", and make a comment.
​Parent/Guardian Expectations
We ask families to have a conversation with their child regarding the importance of attending class on time with all required materials. 
In the event of an absence from class, we ask parents first have a conversation with their child about why they were not in class. Check PowerSchool to see notes (if provided).
Calling the office puts a great deal of pressure on a small number of staff to try to field numerous calls.  School staff will not tolerate abuse from individuals calling to enquire about student attendance.  
Please continue to notify us when a student is ill, away on vacation, or having to miss class due to appointments or other events by emailing johnware@cbe.ab.ca or calling the absence line 403-777-7930 ext. 1. When students are absent and no reason is provided, it will be considered an unexcused absence.
 
With any change of process, come some bumps in the road while we support students and staff to adjust. Please remember we are training adolescents to understand the importance of coming to school, being prepared for learning, and taking responsibility for their attendance.
 Thank you, 
John Ware Staff