Attendance

Regular attendance is critical to the learning process. Research shows that frequent absences seriously affect learning. We encourage you to schedule all doctor and dental appointments during non-school hours.

Absence Reporting:

Please report your student’s absence via phone (Main Office: 425-837-4100) or email diattendance@issaquah.wednet.edu with the following information:

Student Name
Teacher
Date(s) of absence
Reason for absence

Informing the teacher is helpful for the teacher, but only the office can excuse the absence.

District Policy on Absences

State law requires our school to closely monitor student absences and their potential impact to the academic progress of students. At times the school may call to ensure strong school support for students and their families.

To help us please consider the following:

Things to Note:

Call the school attendance office using the email or phone number listed above to excuse the absence each day.
Any absence is marked unexcused if the office is not notified.
A student arriving 2 or more hours after the start of the day is considered absent for the morning.
A student who leaves 2 or more hours before dismissal is considered absent for the afternoon.
If you take your child to the doctor for illness causing absences, please request a doctors note for the school.
For Pre-Planned absences of 1-2 days, simply call or email the office in advance with the dates of absence and reason. Please also inform your child's teacher.
Per State law:
- 7 or more unexcused absences in a month may result in a petition to be filed with the courts.
- 15 or more unexcused absences in a year may result in a petition to be filed with the courts.

Extended Absences

Please make an attempt to schedule family trips during non-school dates. It is very difficult to make up lost instructional time. Absences for family trips without prior principal permission will result in an unexcused absence for the dates.

For Pre-Planned Absences of 3 or more days, please complete the process described below.

Absences due to family trips may only be excused when prior approval has been given by the school. Prearranged absences should be submitted at least 1 week ahead of time.
When considering whether to excuse absences the principal will consider:
- Total number of absences over the year.
- Impact on our ability to ensure adequate academic growth.
- Family emergencies where absences are unavoidable will receive special consideration.

Pre-Arranged Absence Request Form: 3 or More Days

Pre-Arranged Absences Request forms may not be completed retroactively.

Elementary Pre-Arranged Absence Request Form

Make-Up Work

Absences may be excused with prior principal permission. When your child returns from an excused absence, the teacher will provide a list of make-up assignments, along with a reasonable timeline for completion. The student is responsible for completing missed work. (From ISD Elementary Schools Parent Handbook, pg 2)

Please note that per district policy and as indicated on the Pre-Approved Absence Request Form that we do not provide assignment in advance of their absences. Instead we will provide make-up work. When possible teacher may have suggestions for how you can support your child’s learning during the absence (reading, making a trip journal, IXL practice, etc.).

Absences During Testing

When to Keep Your Child Home

Communicable Disease Guidelines

Use this checklist to determine whether to keep your child home from school

Symptom	Yes	No
Fever: Does your child have a fever over 100 degrees F. orally? Temperature should remain normal (98.6 degrees) for 24 hours without any fever reducing medication before returning to school
Sore throat: Is it accompanied by fever, headache, stomachache or swollen glands?
Vomiting: Has your child vomited two or more times in a 24 hour period?
Diarrhea: Has there been more than one occurrence in a 24 hour period?
Eyes: Are your child’s eyes crusty, bright red and/or discharging yellow or green fluid?
Nasal discharge (yellow or greenish): Is there colorful nasal mucus that is accompanied by a fever or other symptoms of an upper respiratory infection?
Cough: Does your child have a persistent, productive cough?
Appearance/Behavior: Is your child unusually tired, pale, have a lack of appetite, difficult to awaken, or confused?
Rash: Does your child have a body rash not associated with heat, eczema, or an allergic reaction to a medication?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, please keep your child home from school and consider seeking medical attention.

Head lice - Please contact the school nurse if any indication of head lice.

Remember to keep the school updated with new phone numbers and emergency contacts in case your student becomes ill at school. Any questions please call your school nurse.

The most important thing you can do to prevent illness is for you and your child to wash your hands often with warm water and soap.

Extended Absences

3 or more days

Elementary Pre-Arranged Absence Request Form

Excused Absences:

Participation in a District or school approved activity or instructional program;
Illness, health condition or medical appointment (including, but not limited to, medical, counseling, dental or optometry);
Family emergency, including, but not limited to, a death or illness in the family;
Religious or cultural purpose including observance of a religious or cultural holiday or participation in religious or cultural instruction;
Court, judicial proceeding or serving on a jury;
Post-secondary, technical school or apprenticeship program visitation, or scholarship interview;
State-recognized search and rescue activities consistent with RCW 28A.225.055;
Absence directly related to the student’s homeless status;
Absence resulting from a disciplinary/corrective action. (e.g., short-term or long-term suspension, emergency expulsion); and
Principal (or designee) and parent, guardian, or emancipated youth mutually agreed upon approved activity.

The principal or designee may only grant permission for a student’s absence providing such absence does not adversely affect the student’s educational process.

Required Conference for Elementary School Students:

If an elementary school student has five or more excused absences in a single month during the current school year or ten or more excused absences in the current school year, the district will schedule a conference with the student and their parent(s) at a reasonably convenient time.

The conference is intended to identify barriers to the student’s regular attendance and to identify supports and resources so the student may regularly attend school. A conference is not required if (1) a pre-arranged absence form has been submitted or (2) if a doctor’s note has been provided and a plan is in place to ensure the student will not fall behind in their coursework.

A conference with the parent or guardian will be scheduled after two unexcused absences within any month during the current school year. Prior to suspension or expulsion, the parent will be notified in writing in their primary language that the student has unexcused absences. A conference will be scheduled to determine what corrective measures should be taken to ameliorate the cause for the student's absences from school. If the parent does not attend the conference, the parent will be notified of the steps the district has decided to take to reduce the student’s absences.

Not later than the student’s fifth unexcused absence in a month, the district will enter into an agreement with the student and parents that establishes school attendance requirements, refer the student to a community truancy board or file a petition and affidavit with the juvenile court alleging a violation of RCW 28A.225.010

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Attendance

Absence Reporting:

District Policy on Absences

Things to Note:

Extended Absences

Make-Up Work

Absences During Testing

When to Keep Your Child Home

Communicable Disease Guidelines

Extended Absences

Excused Absences:

Required Conference for Elementary School Students: