10/15/2022
Just wanting to ensure that all parents are aware of the absence policy that we have in place at WPA. You can find this information in the Scholar Parent Handbook that was placed on the school website. I have included this portion of the handbook below...
Attendance Policy
Good attendance is extremely important! Please have your child in school and on time each day. Should scholars be absent from school, parents are required to send a note of explanation when the scholar returns ( this note must accompany the scholar upon their return to school from an absence). If the scholar will be absent three or more days, a phone call to the school and/or teacher is requested. With reasonable explanations, our teachers will work closely with scholars and parents to make-up missed lessons and work. North Carolina law requires a scholar to be present one-half of the school day to be counted present. (Exceptions hospital/homebound or staggered kindergarten).
Frequent absences will have a negative impact on a scholar’s ability to master the instructional material and grade level information for that school year. For that reason, WPA follows the State’s Compulsory Attendance Law (GS 115C-378) very carefully.
After three (3) unexcused absences, a note will be sent home.
At six unexcused absences, the Executive Director or designee shall notify the parent, guardian, or custodian by mail that he or she may be in violation of the Compulsory Attendance Law. Once the parents are notified, the School Counselor shall work with the scholar and the scholar's family to analyze the causes of the absences and determine steps to eliminate the problem.
At eight unexcused absences, the scholar and parents will go before the Board.
After 10 accumulated unexcused absences in a school year, the Executive Director or designee shall review any report or investigation prepared and shall confer with the scholar and the scholar's parent, guardian, or custodian, if possible, to determine whether the parent, guardian, or custodian has received notification pursuant to this section and made a good faith effort to comply with the law.
If the Executive Director or the Director’s designee determines that the parent, guardian, or custodian has not made a good faith effort to comply with the law, the Executive Director shall notify the school attorney and the director of social services of the county where the child resides.
A scholar may be excused from attendance on an account of sickness or other unavoidable cause. Below are valid/lawful excuses for temporary nonattendance of a scholar at a school.
Illness or injury
Quarantine
Death in the Immediate Family
Medical or Dental Appointment (with a note from the doctor)
Religious Observation
Absence related to Deployment Activities
Educational opportunity approved by administration PRIOR to the event.
Court or Administrative Proceedings regarding the scholar.
Written notices/doctors’ notes must be received on the day of the scholar’s return to school and the absence may then be coded as excused (based on the information in the note received on the day of return). This includes any absences due to medical reasons, as well as notes from home. Scholars will need to make up all work that is missed as scheduled by the teacher. Should your child have a special medical condition that could lead to absences, please speak with their teacher(s) concerning this condition. Also, please make sure that the school nurse is aware as well.
Should you have questions concerning your child and their attendance, please feel free to contact the front office or your child's teacher.
