Windsor High School Attendance and Tardy Policy Reminder
At Windsor High School, we prioritize consistent student attendance to ensure access to quality education. To help families stay informed, we want to remind you of our attendance policy as outlined by IWCS Regulation JED-R, our specific tardy policy at Windsor High School, and our attendance appeal policy:
Unexcused Absences: These occur when the school is unaware of the reason for the absence, or the provided reason/documentation is insufficient. Please note that if a note is not submitted, the absence will be considered unexcused. We accept up to 5 parent notes per semester. If the absence is due to an appointment, please submit a doctor's note or other professional documentation to excuse the student.
Example of an Acceptable Note:
- Date
- “My child (Insert Student’s Name) was absent on (Insert Date of Absence) because of (Insert reason for absence).”
- Parent/Guardian Signature
- Parent/Guardian Email Address/Parent/Guardian Phone
School personnel will implement the following notification process to improve attendance:
- 3rd Unexcused Absence: The principal or designee will call the parent/guardian to explain compulsory attendance requirements.
- 4th Unexcused Absence: A letter will be mailed to the parent/guardian.
- 5th Unexcused Absence: An Attendance Improvement Plan will be developed with the parent/guardian.
- 8th & 9th Unexcused Absence: The principal or designee will contact the parent/guardian to discuss possible next steps if attendance does not improve.
- 10th Unexcused Absence: An attendance conference will be scheduled within 10 days.
- 11th Unexcused Absence: The student and family will be referred to the IWCS attendance officer for a truancy review team meeting.
- 15th Consecutive Unexcused Absence: The student will be withdrawn from Windsor High School as per VA Code 8VAC20-110-130.
Tardies: The tardy policy at Windsor High School applies to each block. Students are allowed to provide notes for tardies to school ONLY on the same day as the tardy and with reasonable and appropriate excuses.
Tardy Consequences:
- 3 Unexcused Tardies: An automated call will be made to the student's home.
- 6 Unexcused Tardies: The student will receive 2 days of lunch detention or after-school detention, and there is a possible suspension of parking privileges for 5 days.
- 9 Unexcused Tardies: The student will receive 4 days of lunch detention or after-school detention, and there is a possible suspension of parking privileges for 10 days.
Attendance Appeal Policy: It is especially important to note the expectations for student attendance as it relates to student retention and course credit. High school students may not be granted credit for a course if unexcused absences from class total more than five (5) class periods for a semester course, or ten (10) class periods for year-long courses. The entire policy JED and regulation JED-R may be found on the division's website by navigating to: Board → Policy → J. Students → JED and/or JED-R.
We encourage all families to be proactive in managing attendance and tardiness and to communicate any concerns with the school administration. Regular attendance and punctuality are crucial for academic success, and we are here to support our students in every way possible.
Thank you for your attention to these important matters.
