One key to a child's success is school attendance. FWISD has specific policies and procedures concerning attendance, tardies, and truancy. The following information is from the 2008-2009 school year:
Absences
Call the school attendance office at 817-377-7392 to report that your child will be absent.
When student returns to school a note is required by parent/guardian. Note must include the child’s name, teacher, date(s) student was absent, the reason for the absence and parent/guardian signature. If a student is absent more than 3 consecutive days, a note is required by a doctor. All notes must be received within 7 days of absence. Failure to send a note within the required time period will result in an unexcused absence.
Late Arrivals/Tardies
First bell rings at 7:55. Students must be in their classes/desks when the 8:00 o’clock bell rings or a student is considered Tardy. When a student arrives late they must report to the office to be signed in and given a tardy pass. If the tardy is due to an appointment a note is required from that institute.
Early Dismissals
Parent/guardian must come to the office to receive an early dismissal. Any person picking up a student for any reason, at any time, must have their name on the student’s information (Emergency) card located in the main office and show a valid form of picture identification. Student will not be dismissed to anyone under 18 years of age. A signature is required on the Early Dismissal form. Notes are required for all early dismissals. For instance if you are picking your child up early for a doctor’s appointment, a note from the doctor is required. (even if the appointment is for a parent or sibling)
Miscellaneous
*A student must be in school for two hours to be counted present. If a student leaves before 10:00 a.m. the student will be counted absent for the day. If a student returns on the same day with a note from a medical office, they will then be considered ‘medical in school’ and will not be counted absent.
**Absences, Tardies, Early Dismissals are all considered “negative attendance” or Truancy. These will result in one of the following depending on the accumulated number: a letter from the school, Warning Letter from the Attendance Control Office with a Mandatory meeting, SART notice and a Mandatory meeting with Assistant District Attorney, and school officials or Court Hearing before a Judge with possible fines. (Contributing to Non-Attendance Texas Education Code 25.093).
Documentation is a key word: note from the parent, doctor, dentist, military issues, death in family, other appointments, etc. If you have any questions please call the attendance office.
Attendance Control Handbook
Comprehensive Truancy Intervention Program 2008/2009
What is Truancy and how will FWISD handle truancy issues?
Individuals between the ages of 6 through 18 or those individuals enrolled in a pre-kindergarten or kindergarten program must attend school for the entire time courses are offered. If a student misses 10 or more days or parts of days within a six-month period during the same school year, without a valid excuse, the student is truant. If the student misses 3 or more days or parts of days within a four-week period, without a valid excuse, the student is truant. This student can and will be prosecuted for Failure to Attend School (Texas Education Code 25.094). the parent/guardian of the truant student can also be prosecuted, after receiving a warning, for parent Contributing to Non-Attendance (Texas Education code 25.093) these cases are prosecuted in the City of fort Worth Municipal court. The Parent/guardian must take the necessary measures to make sure that the student is regularly attending school. You may contact your child’s school attendance office to ensure that your child has regular attendance.
Parents and students are responsible for making sure that written excuses for absences are submitted to the student’s school attendance office. This must be done within 7 days of the absence to ensure that an absence is not marked as unexcused. Also, a student must have a legitimate excuse for arriving late or leaving early from school. The school attendance office must be notified, in writing about the truancy and may be required to attend future meetings regarding the truant student.
FWISD wants your student to be successful. You can help by making sure that your student is regularly attending school. Best wishes for a successful school year.
By Valerie D. Baston, Assistant District Attorney
Stated by Tarrant County Office of the Criminal District Attorney
Also listed in the Student Code of Conduct