As we enter the second quarter of the school year, I want to take a moment to remind everyone that regular school attendance is crucial to student’s success and growth. Please know that we are fully committed to ensuring your child's academic success.
Unfortunately, we have experienced an excessive amount of student absences and tardies during our first quarter of this year. We have more than 155 students who have missed 3 or more days of school.
We know that students who attend school consistently perform better, stay on track, and achieve high levels of learning. Studies show that when students are frequently absent or late to school, they miss out on important learning which can affect their academic performance through high school.
We want to remind everyone of the state guidelines regarding attendance:
A student is considered “habitually truant” after 5 or more unexcused absences.
A student has “excessive absences” if they miss more than 10% of the school year, regardless of whether the absences are excused or unexcused.
In Arizona, parents are responsible for ensuring that children between the ages of six and sixteen attend school regularly. If a student reaches 5 unexcused absences or 18 total absences (excused or unexcused), parents/guardians and/or the student may be required to appear in court under Arizona Revised Statutes A.R.S. 15-802 or 15-803.
We want to encourage parents to prioritize attendance for the remainder of the school year. We know that doctor appointments during the school day cannot always be avoided. Please utilize the district calendar to schedule vacations. We have lots of breaks coming up and we know that family time is important. If your child is experiencing challenges that impact their ability to attend school please reach out to Mr. Hancock, our assistant principal at 623-376-5000.
Thank you,
Mrs. Schubert
Principal
