Attendance

  • Students are expected to attend all scheduled classes daily. Students must transition to first period at 7:40 AM; first period begins at 7:45 AM.
  • Parents and caregivers must write or email student excused notes to the attendance secretary, within three (3) days of a student's absence from school. Please contact Ms. Chantal Louis-Charles, attendance secretary, at Chantal_M_Louis-Charles@mcpsmd.org regarding attendance concerns.
  • A physician's note is required for any student absence of five (5) or more days due to illness.
  • Absences fewer than five consecutive days but which occur on a frequent basis such as one or two absences every week or two will require medical documentation so the school may support well-being and academic progress of the student. Parents should expect counselor and pupil personnel worker (PPW) follow up should this occur.
  • Unexcused absences of 10 consecutive days will result in withdrawal from school due to non-attendance.
  • Students who anticipate being absent should submit a note to the attendance office, 48 hours prior to the day of the absence (e.g., college visits, school related activites, religious observance, etc.)
  • Early dismissal notifications should be submitted to the attendance teller window prior to the start of school.
  • Students who anticipate being absent from school should submit a note from their parent or caregiver to the attendance teller window, 48 hours prior to the day of the absence (college visits, school-related activities, religious observances, etc.) College visits are limited to grade 11 and grade 12 students and may not exceed three (3) days per year; documentation from the visit is required.
  • Students who participate in sports or extracurricular activities must attend school all day on any day they participate in an event. Participation in an athletic event is not a reason to be absent or tardy the following day.
  • Students who plan to participate /attend Senior Prom are expected to attend school half day; with a note from parents, students may be excused from school beginning at 11:00 AM the day of Prom.
  • Attendance Note Template

Attendance Recorded in Synergy

  • Teachers will take attendance the first 10 minutes of every class period.
  • Students will be recorded as present, absent, tardy excused, or tardy unexcused.
  • Students arriving late to class for up to the 50% of the scheduled class period will be marked Tardy (TE = excused pass or TU = unexcused pass or no pass).
  • Students absent the entire class period or absent 50% or more of the scheduled class period will be marked Absent (AB)

Tardy Policy

The following process will be implemented when students are Tardy (TU) to class:

  • First tardy - teacher conferences with student.
  • Second tardy - teacher contacts parent or caregiver via phone or email, documents in Synergy contact log, student is issued teacher-led intervention.
  • Third tardy - teacher contacts parent family or caregiver via phone or email, documents in Synergy contact log, student is issued teacher-led intervention.
  • Fourth tardy - teacher shares concern with student's counselor; counselor conferences with student and contacts parent or caregiver by phone; student is issued an intervention.
  • Fifth tardy - teacher shares concern with student's counselor, counselor contacts parent or caregiver by phone and schedules parent conference and invites the pupil personnel worker (PPW) and grade level administrator; student is issued an administration intervention.