VES Attendance Policy for Parents

Vicenza Elementary School: Building Strong Attendance Habits Together

Our belief: Attendance is a shared responsibility among parents/guardians, students, teachers, and the school, supported by ongoing communication.

It is DoDEA Policy that:

• Regular school attendance correlates directly with success in academic work, improves social interaction with adults and peers, provides opportunities for important communication between teachers and students, and provides a cumulative effect of establishing life-long positive habits that are critical for developing career readiness skills and success in college.

• School attendance is mandatory

Why Attendance Matters

Regular school attendance is essential for student success. Parents and guardians play a vital role in building strong attendance habits from Pre-Kindergarten through high school.

Your Role as a Parent or Guardian:

• Send your child to school daily unless they are truly sick.

• Monitor attendance regularly.

• Communicate with teachers to support learning.

• Encourage routines and school engagement.

• Avoid scheduling vacations or appointments during school hours.

• Notify teachers of deployments or disruptions.

Note: Students must complete all missed assignments. A Student Educational Monitoring Plan may be required.

Excessive Absences: What Happens Next

After 5 absences in a semester:

• School reviews academic performance and reasons for absences.

• May refer to the Student Support Team (SST).

• SST may develop an intervention plan to support progress.

After 7 absences in a semester:

• SST reconvenes to review and revise the plan.

• Principal may request Command assistance to improve attendance.

Note: Students receiving homebound services or hospitalized are not counted in excessive absence totals.

Tardiness Policy

Students are expected to arrive at school and attend all classes on time each day. Late arrivals are considered “tardy unexcused” unless the school receives written verification from a parent or guardian that aligns with the criteria for excused absences.

Excessive Tardiness: What Happens Next

• Excused Tardy: Tardiness due to reasons that qualify as excused absences (e.g., illness, medical appointments, family emergencies) will be marked as excused with proper documentation.

• Unexcused Tardy: Arriving late without written verification or leaving school grounds without prior written permission will be considered unexcused.

• Make-Up Work: Students are responsible for completing all missed work due to tardiness.

• Excessive Tardiness: After 5 cumulative tardies (excused or unexcused) in a semester, school administration will meet with the student and their parent/guardian to assess the impact on academic and social-emotional progress. The Student Support Team (SST) may develop an intervention plan tailored to the student’s circumstances.