Attend Today, Achieve Tomorrow!
Any student missing ten (10) percent of the school year for any reason is considered chronically absent and may require additional support or intervention.
Attendance Policies
Attending School is the Law
Policy
In Virginia, all students aged five (5) through eighteen (18) are required to attend school regularly. FCPS must record student attendance every day school is in session.
Students may be absent for identified reasons, such as the following:
- Illness, including COVID isolation / quarantine
- Medical procedures that cannot be scheduled outside of school hours
- Religious and cultural observances
- Civic engagement (secondary students only)
- Funerals
Parents should report their student’s absences to the school any day students are unable to attend. They may report the absences by calling the school attendance line or emailing the school-designated attendance address. Many schools have a web-based form that may also be used for this purpose, so parents are encouraged to visit the school website for attendance reporting.
When parents do not report student absences, school personnel will call to identify the reason for the student absences. For unexplained or unverified absences, parents will be reached the same day as the class or full-day absence occurred. If unverified or unexcused absences accumulate, parents will be notified via the FCPS eNotify message system, requesting that parents contact the school to explain the absences. After five full days of unexcused absences, an attendance plan, documenting the reasons for absences, and potential supports, will be completed.
Parents can monitor their students’ attendance records by logging into their assigned SIS parent account.
Future Absences
If parents are aware of a future absence, such as a full day absence for a civic engagement activity (middle or high school) or a cultural observance, they may contact the school to report the absence and related date. Extended absences, typically for hardship reasons, must be documented and submitted to the school principal at least three to five school days in advance for review and action.
View the Elementary Prearranged Absence Form
View the Secondary Prearranged Absence Form
