Attendance
Any time your student is absent from school, or even part of the school day, they are marked absent. An excuse note must be turned into the Attendance Office within 3 days of the absence or it will be Unexcused.
If you would liked your student driver to leave campus early, you must submit a note via skyward absence request by 11:00 AM. If we have not received notification by 11:00, your student will only be permitted to leave school if a parent/guardian comes to sign them out. In the event of a true emergency, please call us.
It is encouraged for appointments to be set around school hours; we do understand that it may not be possible and an early pick-up is required. Parents can pick up their student any time between 8:30 - 3:00 per school board policy 6.208.
We will not take calls for absence excuses or early dismissals unless there is a true family emergency. Please send an email to the Attendance Secretary (ghhattendance@wcschools.com) or submit a Skyward Absence Request.
Reminder about Exam Exemptions: High School Juniors and Seniors may qualify to be exempt from taking a final examination in a class if they meet the criteria below:
A - average and no more than 3 unexcused absences in the class
B - average and no more than 2 unexcused absences in the class
C - average and no more than 1 unexcused absences in the class
Any student who has been suspended ( in school or out of school suspensions) is not eligible for exam exemptions.
FAQs on Attendance
What do I do if my child will be absent from school?
- The parent/guardian will need to login to Skyward Family Access and enter an Absence Request or email the Attendance Secretary. Let them know that your child will not be at school today (or additional days) and if you wish to excuse the absence.
- If you forget to notify the school the day of the absence: When your student returns to school send in a written note/email within three school days to the Attendance Secretary.
What does my child do if they are late for school?
- In grades 9-12, the student will need to report to the Attendance/Main office and receive a pass to attend class.
What are examples of unexcused absences?
- Going shopping, visiting relatives, birthdays, refusing to come to school, senior skip day, prom prep day, vacations, car issues, oversleeping, missing the bus not related to the bus running late or any other reason not related to School Board Policy for approved excuse reasons.
- Parent notes that do not list a reason will not be accepted and left unexcused.
How many parent notes do students have each school year?
- Parents have five parent notes per semester. After using five parent notes in a semester other absences are recorded as unexcused (unless documentation from a doctor/dentist/etc. Is provided within 3 days.) Parent notes count for each absence (full day, partial day, tardy).
What can the five parent notes per semester excuse?
- Parent notes excused the following:
- Personal Illness – used when a student is sick but does not see a doctor.
- Illness or death of an immediate family member – (mother, father, grandparents, brother, or sister). Parents should contact the principal or Attendance Secretary as soon as possible and arrange a suitable time of absence. Principals may require written verification.
- College Tour
- Religious holidays regularly observed by persons of the student’s faith that are set aside as sacred by a recognized religious denomination.
- Extreme weather conditions – used when a parent feels that it is unsafe for the student to attend school due to current weather conditions.
- Summons, subpoenas, court order
- Parent/ Guardian military deployment or return.
My child's school bus is not running. Is staying home an excused absence?
- Parents are responsible for making sure their students attend school daily. Wilson County Schools encourages parents to have back-up plans if a bus is not running. For example, you could form a carpool and alternate days to pick-up and drop-off students. Absences due to lack of transportation to school are unexcused.
Is a death in the family an excused absence and does it count as a parent note?
- Death of an immediate family member (mother, father, grandparents, sibling) is an excused absence and does not take away from the five parent notes per semester. Students may be allowed up to 3 days of Bereavement. Principals may require additional verification.
I have a deployment that is upcoming and would like a day spent with my student.
- Military – Parent/Custodian Deployment/Return - A one day excused absence for students when their parent or custodian has a deployment into active military service. A one day excused absence for students when the parent or custodian returns from active military service. Students can make-up schoolwork missed during the excused absence. Military deployment/return does not count against the five parent notes per semester with obituary. Principal may require additional verification.
What do I do if my child is required to attend court (ex. Truancy, Custody, etc.)?
- Ask the court for an excuse that you can provide the school. With verification from the court, the absence is marked as excused.
What do I do if my child has an extracurricular activity that is non-school related and they have to miss school?
- Contact the principal and Attendance Secretary at least seven days prior to the event. The principal will check to see that the student is in good standing (grades, discipline, and attendance) and can approve the absence for no more than ten days per school year. Some principals approve less than 10. If the student’s standing is not good then the principal can deny the request. Finally, the principal will not approve/excuse absences for extra-curricular non-school related activities during testing.
What items does the school want on the parent note?
- Written documentation shall include the student’s full name, reason for absence, date of absence, time and duration of an appointment (if applicable), parent signature, and phone number.
My child was marked absent, but I sent in a note or entered a Skyward Absence Request.
- Written documentation must be submitted within three days of the student returning to school. If not submitted to the Attendance Secretary within this time-period, the absence will be marked unexcused. Check your Skyward account to ensure that the student turned-in the note. Absences will also be left unexcused if you have used all of your parent notes.
I cannot get into my Skyward account. What should I do?
- Call your school’s Counseling Office or Attendance Secretary and they will be able to help.
How does my student get their driver’s license reinstated?
- The student cannot miss 10 days in a row or fifteen days in a semester. When semester grades are posted and the student meets the requirements for reinstatement, they should contact their Attendance Secretary. The Attendance Secretary will contact the Attendance Department at the Central Office and they will provide the Department of Safety and the student with documentation of reinstatement.
- https://www.tn.gov/safety/driver-services/reinstatements.html#Violations
How does my child get a Truancy form for their Learners permit or Driver’s License?
- Contact the Attendance Secretary at your school. Please note many schools have summer hours so reach out to them prior to the end of school for assistance. Also, know that the Attendance Secretary cannot provide a Truancy Form prior to the student’s fifteenth birthday.
Will my child get in trouble for tardies to school or class?
- The school will follow the guidelines in the Student Handbook under Category 1 Offenses.
Why is my student being sent to court for Truancy?
- There are many reasons that a student may appear in court for truancy. Below are a few:
- The student missed 10 unexcused days of school in a row.
- The student missed 15 unexcused days during a semester.
- The student’s parents did not work with the school to improve attendance using the Three Tier System (ex. Not returning emails, phone calls, or coming in for meetings – this is a new law).
- The student did not turn in excused absences notes to the Attendance Secretary.
- The student was on a Valid Court Order (VCO) for truancy and missed five more days of school.
- The student misses 10 unexcused absences within a school year and per School Board Policy, a truancy petition filed.
Can my child receive an excused absence for visiting a college or vocational school?
- Up to 3 days absent for college or vocational visits during the eleventh and twelve grades are amiable for students. Students have to receive prior approval from the school and signed and dated documentation from the institution for which they visited. Return the documentation to the Attendance Secretary upon return to school and within three days.
The school nurse sent my child home. How do I report the absence?
- Students who go home at the direction of the School Nurse are marked as excused. When the student returns to school the parent will provide a note that states the student was sent home by the Nurse, date, and time, as well as any other instructions by the Nurse. This type of situation does not count against parent notes.
My student missed six days in a row and I did not take them to the doctor. Can I use my parent notes?
- Yes, you can use five parent notes (ex. one per day) and have one unexcused absence.
WCS K-12 Student Attendance Policies and Procedures
