Attendance
Attendance at school is an important part of student success and achievement. A pattern of absences may put a student at risk of not achieving the Academic Knowledge and Skills (AKS) for their grade level and courses. Certain absences are excused according to state guidelines. Excused absences include:
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Personal illness or attendance in school endangering a student's health or the health of others. This includes
- scheduled doctor appointments.
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A serious illness or death in a student's immediate family requiring absence from school.
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A court order or an order by a governmental agency, including pre-induction physical examination for service in the armed forces, mandating absence from school.
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Observing religious holidays, necessitating absence from school.
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Conditions making attendance impossible or hazardous to student health or safety.
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Serving as a page in the Georgia General Assembly.
Please provide a written note to your child's teacher on the day your child returns to school. The note should include the date of absence and reason for the absence. Should the reason be one noted above, your child's absence will be marked excused. Should a student accumulate five or more unexcused absences, an Attendance Letter will be mailed notifying the parent/guardian.
Continued absences or tardies may result in the need for a SARC (Student Attendance Review Committee) Meeting, in which the counselor, parent, teacher, and social worker will work to ensure your child’s school attendance improves. A SARC Meeting may also be scheduled for other attendance issues (i.e. excessive tardies, excessive checkouts, or after several excused absences).
It is important for parents to be aware of attendance requirements. Please read Gwinnett County Public Schools' Student/Parent Handbook, which outlines attendance expectations. In addition, our teachers and school leadership will communicate with you regularly on school attendance issues.
