The Colorado School Attendance Law of 1963 (revised 1986) states that every child who has attained the age of seven years and is under the age of seventeen shall attend public schools for at least one thousand fifty six hours if a secondary school pupil or nine hundred sixty eight hours if an elementary school pupil during the year. The habit of regular attendance and punctuality is important for successful school achievement. The first bell rings five minutes prior to the start of school and provides time to assemble students and prepare to enter the building. Students who are not at their desks by the start of school are considered tardy.
Attendance Intervention ProcessEdison Elementary will follow the following process to ensure interventions for students whose attendance and/or tardiness is interfering with their education.
Annually: A news letter article will be sent home to all parents expressing the importance of students attending school regularly and on-time.
Step 1: When students miss 3 days of school or have 5 tardies in one trimester, the classroom teacher will contact the parent by phone or face-to-face to communicate the need for the student to improve their attendance. The teacher will document the reason for the absences/tardies on the attendance documentation form and on IC conference atom.
Step 2: When students miss 5 days of school or have 10 tardies in one trimester, the classroom teacher will email the Assistant Principal/Psychologist with all necessary documentation. The Assistant Principal/Psychologist will send an attendance letter home to parents. A copy of the letter will be kept with the student’s attendance documentation form and any action taken will be documented in IC.
Step 3: When students miss 10 days of school or have 15 tardies, the Assistant Principal/ Psychologist will mail home the formal DPS attendance letter. The classroom teacher and Assistant Principal/Psychologist will meet with the parent and the student to develop a written plan/contract to improve on-time attendance at school.
Step 4: If students miss five more days of school, after the parent, teacher, administrator meeting (15 or more days of absences), the DPS attendance letter will be mailed home to the parent and a court date will be requested. In addition, another meeting will be scheduled with the parent to discuss the agreed upon attendance improvement plan.
Teachers should use professional judgment regarding the above dates; however, teachers should also communicate the importance of school attendance to parents. In addition, the Assistant Principal or Psychologist will review the school-wide attendance logs and tardy logs every 2-3 weeks. Teachers will be notified of concerns that are identified.
Attendance Intervention ProcessEdison Elementary will follow the following process to ensure interventions for students whose attendance and/or tardiness is interfering with their education.
Annually: A news letter article will be sent home to all parents expressing the importance of students attending school regularly and on-time.
Step 1: When students miss 3 days of school or have 5 tardies in one trimester, the classroom teacher will contact the parent by phone or face-to-face to communicate the need for the student to improve their attendance. The teacher will document the reason for the absences/tardies on the attendance documentation form and on IC conference atom.
Step 2: When students miss 5 days of school or have 10 tardies in one trimester, the classroom teacher will email the Assistant Principal/Psychologist with all necessary documentation. The Assistant Principal/Psychologist will send an attendance letter home to parents. A copy of the letter will be kept with the student’s attendance documentation form and any action taken will be documented in IC.
Step 3: When students miss 10 days of school or have 15 tardies, the Assistant Principal/ Psychologist will mail home the formal DPS attendance letter. The classroom teacher and Assistant Principal/Psychologist will meet with the parent and the student to develop a written plan/contract to improve on-time attendance at school.
Step 4: If students miss five more days of school, after the parent, teacher, administrator meeting (15 or more days of absences), the DPS attendance letter will be mailed home to the parent and a court date will be requested. In addition, another meeting will be scheduled with the parent to discuss the agreed upon attendance improvement plan.
Teachers should use professional judgment regarding the above dates; however, teachers should also communicate the importance of school attendance to parents. In addition, the Assistant Principal or Psychologist will review the school-wide attendance logs and tardy logs every 2-3 weeks. Teachers will be notified of concerns that are identified.