WJ Attendance Office
The Attendance Secretary is located in the Main Office. If you have a specific question not answered on this website please call 240-740-6901. To submit notes related to absences please use this Google form.
A phone call or voicemail will not excuse an absence, late arrival,
or early dismissal. Documentation is required.
We also accept paper notes in this format: Absence/Early Dismissal/Late Arrival Handwritten notes must include:
- Student’s full name, ID number, and grade
- Date(s) and reason(s) for absence(s)
- Parent signature and daytime phone number.
MCPS Attendance Policies & Procedures
Policies
- Except when ill or excused, all students are required to attend their scheduled classes and other required activities throughout the school day.
- Attendance is taken in each period. An automated system notifies parents if a student is recorded absent from any period of the day. If you receive this notification, please check ParentVUE or have your student check StudentVUE, to see which period(s) recorded an absence. Please do this before contacting the Attendance Office.
- All absences are considered unexcused until a student presents a note, signed by their parent, to the attendance office or the parent completes the Online Attendance Form.
- For full details, view the MCPS Student Rights & Responsibilities (page 2)
Full-Day Absence
- If your student will be absent, you are encouraged to email the address listed above as soon as you know, to prevent delays in recording.
- A note must be presented to the Attendance Secretary within three days of return. Notes or submissions received more than three days after the student's return will result in the days of school missed considered unexcused.
- MCPS unexcused absences:
- family trips
- private/personal transportation issues
- truancy, illegal employment, or indifference.
- MCPS excused absences:
- Medical appointment
- Student illness and well-being concerns (doctor’s note required after 4 days)
- Observance of a religious holiday
- Activity/trip approved in advance (see below: Anticipated Absence)
- Lack of MCPS transportation
- Death in family
- Court summons
- Permission from the Principal
- Pregnancy and parenting-related conditions
- Suspension
- State emergency / Hazardous weather conditions
- Work approved or sponsored by he school , MCPS, or MSDE
Late Arrival
Students who arrive after 7:45 AM must report directly to the Main Office to sign in. Students who have an approved abbreviated schedule must sign in, too.
Transportation: Students who arrive on a late SCHOOL BUS are to report to the main office. Students who are late when taking a Ride-On, Metro bus, or private/personal transportation will be marked tardy.
Tardiness is defined as not being in the classroom when the bell rings. Absence is defined as being more than twenty minutes late to class. After one tardy, and for each one following, teachers can assign detention.
Early Departure
To help ensure the safety of our students and minimize disruption to classroom instruction, we ask that you please follow the protocols below:
Scheduled Early Departure: There are two ways to excuse a student for an early departure:
- The student may bring a signed note to the Main Office before 1st period or during lunch. They will be issued an early dismissal pass so that they may leave class at the stated time. Before leaving the building, the student must sign out in the Main Office.
- The parent may email the address listed above and direct their student to pick up an early dismissal pass in the Main Office before 1st period or during lunch. Before leaving the building, the student must sign out in the Main Office.
Students who leave school without permission and without signing out will be marked as unexcused for classes missed.
We understand that there are times when appointments are made at the last minute. If you need to sign out your student on short notice, you must come to the Main Office. Please bring in your photo ID and be prepared to fill out a form before your student is called out of class, this process can take up to 15 minutes. Please do not call the Main Office to request that your student be dismissed.
Early Departure Due To Illness: Students who feel ill during the day should get a pass from their teacher to report to the Health Room. The Health Room will contact the parent/guardian. The student should not contact the parent/guardian directly to request dismissal. Students dismissed from the Health Room must sign out in the Main Office. Students who leave school because of illness without reporting to the Health Room will be considered unexcused. Please encourage your student to go to the health room if they feel ill.
Anticipated Absence
Students are required to submit the Anticipated Absence form five days in advance of a trip, college visit, or pre-planned extended medical leave. The student must obtain signatures from their teachers and counselor, then bring the form to the Main Office. Their administrator will then determine if the absence is excused/unexcused and will give it to the Attendance Office. Family trips are not excused absences according to MCPS attendance guidelines.
If you need to speak with the attendance secretary you can call 240-740-6901.
