• ATTENDANCE

    Regular attendance and punctuality are vital to a successful school experience. Academic work missed during absence must be made up. Our teachers cannot teach your child if the child is absent.

    Methacton School District requires parent notification of a student's absence. Parents should call the CHILD CHECK LINE if your child will either be late to or absent from school. (See details below). If this procedure is not carried through, after (3) three unexcused absences, the parent/guardian will receive an initial warning letter, mandated by the State. After that, if the practice of the parent not notifying the school of absence continues, further action will be initiated. This is not meant as a punitive measure, but rather to provide the best possible educational experience for each student. You may call Jennifer Johnson at 610-489-5000, ext. 25406 with questions on this School Board/State Mandated Policy.

    ABSENTEE CALL-IN SYSTEM / CHILD CHECK PROGRAM

    In the event that your child is absent or will arrive late, FOR ANY REASON, you are requested to CALL 610-831-5323 and leave your brief message. Please state your child's name, grade, teacher's name and the SPECIFIC reason for the absence.

    Student names that cannot be cross-checked between the teacher's attendance sheet and the tape message will be verified by making parent contact at home or work. It is requested that no additional information be placed on the tape. Inquiries pertaining to missed homework assignments and teacher call-backs must be made to your child's school outside of the initial recording after 9:15 a.m.

    ABSENCES FROM SCHOOL

    1. Excused absence refers to absence for any one of a number of legal reasons. Excused absences include: death in the immediate family, subpoenaed court appearance, pupil's illness, major religious holidays, pre-approved absence and other urgent reasons.

    1. If the attendance clerk does not receive a verbal or written explanation of the absence from the parent/guardian within two weeks, the absence will automatically be recorded as illegal.
    1. Consecutive absences of more than 3 days require a physician's note.
    1. Written excuses/phone calls do not necessarily mean that the absence is excused. Such reasons as “visiting,” “away from home,” “missed the bus,” “overslept,” are classified as unexcused absences. Students who accumulate three unexcused absences will receive a” first offense” notice from the Attendance Office. Subsequent absences will be referred to the District Magistrate.
    1. Trips must be approved prior to the trip to be considered excused (See family trips below).

    TARDINESS

    Lateness to class is a disruption to the educational process. Please call the Child Check Line at your child's school if your child will be late for any reason and leave a brief message. If students arrive late, for any reason, they MUST BE “SIGNED IN” by a parent/guardian, by coming to the main office. Students must be accompanied into the building by a parent/guardian.
     

    EARLY DEPARTURE

    Please make every effort to obtain medical appointments after school hours.  When an early dismissal is necessary, a parent must report to the main office for the student to be called down.  Photo ID (driver’s license) is required to sign students out of school early.

    As a courtesy, please provide a written request for an early dismissal to the teacher on the morning of the dismissal.  For safety reasons, no child will be permitted to leave school alone other than at regular dismissal time.

     
    Family Trips

    Family vacations and trips during the school year are discouraged.  However, if your family is planning a trip please be sure to complete and “Educational Trip” form AT LEAST TWO (2) WEEKS PRIOR TO YOUR TRIP. 

    Days absent because of a trip or tour will be considered excused only when a prior request form has been signed by the parents, and is on file in the school.  Absences due to family trips without the prior request will be considered unexcused and may result in a first offense notice.  Please note that only five (5) days will be considered excused for trips.   Additional days will be considered unexcused per Methacton School Board policy.

    If you have completed an educational trip form and your family is vacationing out of town, we do not expect you to call in each day.  Your previously completed form will provide us this information for the duration of your child’s absence.