Attendance Secretary
- Mrs. Glenda Lopez
- 240-740-6401
- Glenda_I_Lopez@mcpsmd.org
Attendance Policy
The following absences are excused by MCPS:
- Death in the immediate (parents, siblings & grandparents) family.
- Student illness and well-being concerns
- Pregnancy and parenting needs
- Court citation (a copy of the citation is required).
- Hazardous weather conditions that would endanger the health or safety of the student when in transit to and from school
- College visit (see below)
- Observance of religious holiday.
- State of Emergency
- Suspensions
- Lack of authorized transportation (i.e the school bus does not arrive)
- Motor vehicle administration (i.e., Driving test)
Note: Absences for vacations, family emergencies, traffic problems, and car problems are not excused.
Policy and Procedures
Anticipated Absences
Students who anticipate an absence must bring a note to the attendance office at least 24 hours in advance of the absence. Non-MCPS educational experiences, sports, work-related school activities and championships are NOT excused. Note: Absences for vacations, family emergencies, traffic problems, and car problems are not excused.
College Visits
College visits are justified. A parent note must be sent to the attendance office at least 3 days in advance. Students must provide a letter from the school they visited with on school letter head. College visits are limited to 11th and 12th grade students and may not exceed three (3) days per year.
Dismissal from Health Room
Students who feel ill during the school day must ask for a health room pass from their teacher and report to the health room. Students dismissed from the Health Room must sign out at the Attendance Office. The students must present the dismissal slip from the health room to the Attendance Office. Under no circumstances should a student call/text a parent/guardian directly and leave the building without notifying the school and signing out of the building.
Students who don't sign out before their departure will not be excused.
Early Dismissal Procedures
Students will be excused for early dismissal only by presenting a note to the Attendance office before 7:45 a.m. that morning. No student will be excused without a note.
We highly recommend parents a/o guardians to send a written note for early dismissal for the student to receive a pass. Phone calls and emails will not be honored for early dismissal. Students will not be allowed to leave without confirmation of the parent a/o guardian. Only parents, guardians and authorized persons may pick up a child from school.
Parents may designate other persons on the Student Emergency Information Form (MCPS Form 565-1) completed by parent’s a/o guardians.
Parents a/o guardians may also send a note to the attendance office authorizing a specific person to pick up their child. The school will typically contact parents by phone to confirm such arrangements. All students must present their early pass and MUST sign out at the attendance office.
Under no circumstances should a student call/text a parent/guardian directly and leave the building without notifying the school and signing out of the building.
Students who don't sign out before their departure will not be excused.
Excusing Notes
A note or an email from a parent or guardian is required to excuse any absence. Phone calls will not be honored to excuse an absence. A medical note is required for any absence of five (5) or more days due to illness. All notes regarding absences must be submitted to the Attendance Office within three (3) days of the student’s return to school.
For security proposes, the Attendance Office will call home to verify the note for absences, tardies, and early dismissals.
The following information must be on all absence, late arrival, and early dismissal notes:
- Student full name and ID number.
- Date.
- Date(s) of and reason for absence, tardy and/or early dismissal.
- Current work and home phone numbers.
- Name and signature of parent or guardian.
Late Arrival
Students without a parent a/o guardian’s note arriving after 8:00 a.m. must sign in at the Main Office by scanning their student ID or QR code. If a student brings a note from a parent a/o guardian must sign in at the Attendance Office. A note from a parent, guardian, dentist or doctor is an excused absence or tardy. Attendance will not receive email notifications for late arrivals, students must present a note.
Make-up Work
It is a responsibility of each student returning to school after an absence to:
- Students will submit a legitimate note within three (3) days of returning to school.
- Students will talk to each teacher to arrange to make up quizzes or tests.
- To submit make-up work and to retain the academic ground lost during the absences.
Notification
Automated calls are made every night when a student is marked absent from any class period. Information is also available on the student and ParentVue accounts. The attendance office can not change the attendance for a student. It is the student’s responsibility to talk to the teacher and request an adjustment or an email confirmation from the teacher to the attendance office.