Consistent schooling allows for students to feel a stronger connection to their school experience, a deeper sense of belonging, and the opportunity to make appropriate progress related to their academic and social goals. With your support we can achieve these goals together! Thank you for contacting Mr. Kmiec, Mr. Howes, or Ms. Santana with any questions related to attendance.
1) School Hours: 8:25 - 8:42 arrival window. Students are welcome to enjoy breakfast or wait with their class lines! Students arriving after 8:42 am are tardy. Dismissal is at 3pm. Thank you for prioritizing on time attendance to set your child(ren) up for success each day.
2) Absence Communication Phone Line: If your child is ill and needs to be absent, please call 781-314-5722 and leave a message on Ms. Santana's voicemail to record your absence. We are collecting data on illnesses and why absences occur to best support the school community as a whole.
3) Consistent with state guidelines, there is no classification between absences. All absences are considered unexcused (see bottom of page 35 in the Waltham Public schools elementary student handbook). If a family shares a medical note, it provides us with additional information for the absence and is logged in your child's attendance profile. However, it does not excuse an absence.
4) School Required Communication: After your child reaches five absences, schools are required to communicate with families that you have met this threshold per Mass General Law (see Elementary Student Handbook for more information). Letters are shared with families to update them about the importance of consistent school attendance. When necessary, meetings are scheduled to outline action steps to improve attendance.
5) Chronic Absenteeism: Schools receive an accountability rating related to their absenteeism rates each year. Chronic Absenteeism refers to students who miss 10% of school days, otherwise known as 18 absences in a school year. Each year, we strive to reduce our level of chronic absenteeism to ensure all of our students have the opportunity to make appropriate growth in school. If your child is approaching the chronic absenteeism benchmark, MacArthur administrators will be meeting with you to identify barriers to attendance and create action steps necessary for families to meet the requirement of having their child in school.
During the 24/25 school year, we will be communicating regularly with families to share more about our attendance data. Please don't hesitate to reach out with any attendance questions to help us continue to collaborate in support of our children. Your partnership is appreciated!
