Attendance Line: 403-777-7190 ext. 1.

Regular Attendance is mandatory as per the School Act, and it is the responsibility of the student and the parent or guardian to ensure regular attendance. The school will maintain an accurate record of student attendance and share this information with students and parents/guardians as required. Students’ attendance concerns will be forwarded to administration. The administration, with support from parents/guardians and teachers, will work with students to help resolve critical attendance problems. If attendance concerns cannot be resolved at the school level, the concern will be escalated to a system level.

Absences

Research shows that regular school attendance has an important impact on a student’s success in school starting in kindergarten and continuing through high school.  Even as children grow older and more independent, families play a key role in making sure students get to school safely every day.  When students miss too much school, it can cause them to fall behind academically and socially.

We realize some absences are unavoidable due to health problems or other circumstances.  Please take note that the following absences will be excused by CBE schools:

• If your child is sick or has a medical or dental appointment.  Sometimes your child’s school may request a medical note to support these absences.
• If you have a family emergency or a funeral.
• If you have a religious or cultural observance.
• If there is a court appearance directly related to your child.
• If the CBE advises of extreme weather; if there are transportation cancellations due to weather.
• If your child is suspended, expelled, or on a home supported leave from school.

We recognized enrichment activities and travel may present unique learning opportunities for your child.  It is important to remember that these absences can create gaps in student learning and social development.  It will be your responsibility as a parent/guardian to support your child’s learning if you choose to allow your child to miss school days for these activities.  Please take note that the following absences will be unexcused at CBE schools:

• If you take a vacation or family holiday during school days
• If your child needs to start late or leave early from school, due to non-school related extracurricular activities (athletic activities, enrichment programs, music programs, theatre performances, etc.)

It is helpful for us when we have been notified in advance of your child’s absence.  Please call our office to inform us of days when your child will be away.  For absences greater than 5 days, it is required that you completed an ‘Extended Absence Form.’   Please see the document on the right hand side of this page. 

Students are responsible for catching up on all work, assignments, and tests when they are absent. If a student is going to be absent, phone the school office at the number above, and leave a message on the attendance line indicating:

• Name of student, homeroom (including the spelling of the student’s last name)
• reason for absence
• expected length of absence

Lates

Students who are late miss out on important classroom announcements and teaching time. When a student enters the classroom late, they creates a disruption which interferes with the learning environment of all students who are prepared and ready to learn. Chronic lateness is habit forming and can impact a student long term.

A parent may call the office and excuse the late as long it would be a legitimate excuse with any employer (i.e. medical appointment or weather and not sleeping in or the alarm not going off). If a late or early departure is deemed ‘Unexcused,’ students owe community service time to the school. It is expected that students do their service at lunch (the same day they were late for morning lates, and the next day following afternoon lates) and help to put away tables and chairs
that were used in center court.

Lunchtime Community Service

Community service is meant to teach students responsibility. As such, it is the student’s responsibility to be there and they will be issued a written reminder that will need to be initialed when the community service is complete. Failure to show up will result in a longer duration of service or other types of service around the school or school property.

Parents will also be notified by School Messenger is their child fails to show up for their late service. If a parent wishes to call the school and excuse their child’s late, they must call prior to lunch. If a student has another commitment at lunch, they must take the initiative and speak to the principal or assistant principal and arrange an alternative date. Students
are required to perform their service at lunch until such a time as they are dismissed by an administrator, teacher or lunchroom supervisor.

Early Check-Out

A note or phone call from a parent must be provided to the office prior to the student leaving. The student must check-out at the office when leaving. At no time, should a student leave the building during the school day, without following this procedure.

Extended Absences

It is recommended that vacations and absences take place during scheduled breaks. Learning activities that take place cannot be replicated when a student is absent, and teachers will not provide extra programming or work during extended breaks.  In the case of prolonged absences of over one week in nature, please contact the school office well in advance. You will receive an “Extended Absence Notice” in which you will need to provide the school with a reason for absence and dates of the extended absence. Please note that, in the case of vacations, the absence will be entered as “Family Vacation-Unexcused” in the student record.  The Calgary Board of Education does not require that teachers provide work for students who embark upon extended vacations. When families choose to begin summer holidays prior to final assessments, they should be aware that their child will not be able to write the exams before the scheduled dates.