 New Attendance Office for 2009-2010
Herndon High School will be implementing a new Attendance Office for the 2009-2010 school year. Unlike in the past when students’ attendance procedures were handled through their Grade Level Offices, the new Attendance Office will help streamline procedures for students, parents and staff.
The Attendance Office is located in room 151, the first room on the left as you enter Herndon High School through Door 11.
ALL students must check in and check out through the attendance office.
Please call 703-810-2282 or 703-810-2283 to notify HHS in the event your student is absent or tardy.
Students need to bring in notes to the office if they need to check out early for appointments.
We are confident that our new Attendance Office will help to assist you and your student with any of their attendance related concerns.
Download Attendance Office Flyer here. |
Excused Absences
When a student is absent, it is the responsibility of the parent to call the attendance office that day to give the reason for the absence. If a phone call is not made on the day of the absence, the parent must call the next day or have the student bring a parent note to the attendance office by 7:30 a.m. the next day. Absences not called in within two days will automatically revert to unexcused. Parents may request a print-out of their child's attendance by calling the attendance office. For clarification, excused absences are limited to the following:
- illness of student
- death in the family
- medical or dental appointment (requires note from doctor/dentist upon student’s return.)
- observance of religious holidays
- absence prearranged by grade-level principal
- court appearance
- field trip
Students who are seen on school grounds on the day of an excused absence will have their absence changed to unexcused. If a student must be on school grounds the day of an excused absence, the student should call the attendance office before coming to campus and check in there immediately upon arrival.
Pre-Arranged Absences
If an absence is planned, such as college visits, religious holidays, etc., it must be pre-arranged with the grade-level office. The student must bring a note, stating the date and reason for the absence, to the grade-level office one week prior to the absence stating the reason for absence and length of absence. The student will be given a form for all teachers to sign. Parents are to read the teachers' comments and also sign the form. The completed form must be returned to the grade-level office prior to the date of the absence. Both full-day and partial-day absences should be pre-arranged.
Check-In
Students arriving at school anytime after 7:30 a.m. must check in at the attendance office immediately upon arriving, to receive a check-in pass. Students must bring a note, signed by the parent/guardian, stating the student's full name, reason for tardiness, probable time of arrival and date. Car trouble, missed bus, pupil placement transportation problems, and oversleeping are not excused. Students who do not check in will not be excused for the classes they miss.
Check-Out
Students are not to leave the school grounds for any reason during the school day, without a check-out pass. The student should bring a note, signed by the parent/guardian, to the attendance office before school. Due to limited staff, passes will not be delivered to classrooms. The note should include: student’s name, date, time for check-out, reason, and a daytime phone number where the parent/guardian can be reached. The student then shows the pass to the teacher when it’s time to leave and proceeds to the front of the school to meet the parent. Students who do not check out will not be excused for the classes they missed. Students must leave school grounds within five minutes of being dismissed early. Students leaving early who do not check out through the attendance office will receive an unexcused absence.
Unexcused Absences/Tardies
Herndon High School follows the FCPS attendance policy, which states that a student must fail for a quarter if he/she accrues three or more unexcused absences in a subject area during the quarter. The parents are to be notified of the first and all succeeding unexcused absences. A student's parent will receive a call or email from individual teachers, the attendance office, and/or the grade-level office when a student accumulates three or more tardies. Three unexcused tardies in the same subject constitute one unexcused absence, therefore, nine tardies constitute three unexcused absences or a failing grade for the quarter.
In July 1999, legislation was enacted which requires that students who accumulate five or more unexcused absences be referred to school attendance officers. The attendance officer will develop individual plans with input from school staff, parents, and students. If the pattern of nonattendance continues, the attendance officer will petition the Court. The Court will order appropriate interventions and consequences for truancy.
Make-up Work
Students will receive full credit for work turned in after an excused absence. A student will not receive credit for work completed after an unexcused absence. Make-up work is encouraged, whether credit is received or not, so that the student will benefit from future instruction. It is the student's responsibility to contact the teacher of each class missed to arrange make-up work the first day back in school, regardless of red or black days. If you are absent one day, work must be made up in one day; if you are absent two days, work must be made up in two days, and so on up to ten days. For absences exceeding ten days, work must be made up in ten days. Exceptions to this rule may be made by each individual teacher.
