Attendance

Call the attendance line to excuse a student’s early release from school (before a student is typically done for the day). Early releases need to be requested a minimum of 30 minutes prior to the release time for the attendance office to get the student out on time.

Information to leave on the attendance line:

• Date and time for release
• Student name (spell the last name)
• Grade
• Reason for early dismissal
• Your name and phone number

Unless otherwise directed, your student can meet you outside.

Single-period absences require a note to be excused.

There are no early releases after 2:20 p.m. on Tuesdays or after 2:55 p.m. on Thursdays, as students may leave campus after that time if they are not scheduled for a particular reason in Access.

Call the attendance line to excuse a student's absence or tardy arrival. Please leave the following information on the attendance line:

• Student name (spell the last name)
• Grade
• Brief reason for absence
• Dates and time you are calling to excuse
• Your name and phone number in case of questions

Students cannot be excused by a parent or guardian for tardiness other than the first period of the day or when returning from an appointment.

• Parents or Guardians may not excuse more than 3 tardies per semester for the first period of the day. 
• A doctor’s note is needed if a student has more than 3 tardies per semester.

• Parents or guardians have 24 hours from the date of an absence to call and excuse the absence. After that time, per Jeffco Board policy, the absence can only be excused by providing a note from a provider confirming the absence is due to an appointment or other specific reason.
• Issues with attendance, such as if a student is marked absent when they were actually in class, must first be communicated to the teacher by the student.
• Students who have an early release from their coach that starts after a period begins must go to class to be counted present prior to leaving for their event.
• A doctor's note is needed for students missing more than three consecutive days due to illness.
• If a student will be absent for more than two days for a reason other than sickness or family emergency, a pre-arranged absence form must be completed. Forms are available in the attendance office.
• Due to the high volume of calls processed daily by the attendance office, an absence that is excused early in the day will be reported by the end of the day.
• If the absence is related to AWest athletics or activities, coaches or sponsors will arrange for the absence to be excused.
• If your student contacts you to say they are sick and need to come home, please remind them to first ask to go to the health room. The health aide will contact you once they arrive.

The importance of regular, daily school attendance as a basis for academic achievement cannot be overemphasized. Attendance is a shared responsibility of the student, the families and the school.

It is the family’s responsibility to ensure their student attends school and to notify the school when their student is absent for a legitimate reason, such as an illness or family emergency. Each family should also ensure their student’s school has their correct contact information so that the school is able to communicate about any attendance issues that may arise.