Attendance
Attendance Procedures
Attendance notification may be completed in either of the following two ways:
An e-mail to the attendance office at hslateoffice @ridleysd.org, which will also fulfill the written notice requirement for an excused absence. The e-mail must include the date of absence, child’s name, grade, the reason for the absence and the parent/guardian name and contact information. (This is the suggested method of reporting attendance)
If you are unable to email the late office, a phone call to the school attendance hotline (610)534-1900 ext. 1262 is acceptable. The message should include the student name, grade, date, the name of the parent/guardian calling, a phone number, and the reason for the absence. *Please note that a call must be followed-up with a written excuse note or email within three days. If a written excuse is not submitted within this time period, the absence remains unexcused.
Extended Absence/Vacation Request/Approval Forms must be picked up in the Main Office at least 10 days prior to the first day of the requested absence. Vacations are encouraged outside of school days due to the important nature of course content being covered; furthermore, these days do count towards the ten-day attendance policy.
Late Arrivals and Early Dismissals
Written notes are required for all late arrivals and early dismissals. Late arrivals and early dismissals remain unexcused until a note is received. If the late arrival or early dismissal is due to a medical or dental appointment, additional documentation from the medical office must be provided to be excused. The appointment verification can be faxed to 610-237-9641. Early dismissal notes should be given to the attendance office at the beginning of the school day to enable the student to receive a pass and have their attendance recorded properly.
Students late to school (after 7:35 a.m.) must obtain a pass from the Late/Attendance Office. Lateness will be excused for medical/dental appointments, or court appearances only. Other urgent reasons must be explained in a parent note. Students must submit a note to the attendance office. Lateness after 10:30 a.m. will be recorded as an absence. Excessive lateness can result in unexcused/unlawful absences that will be used for possible truancy proceedings.
Additional information and updated attendance policies can be found in the student handbook.
The Importance of Attendance
Citizenship Criteria – Students who receive an Unsatisfactory Citizenship will lose eligibility to participate in extra-curricular activities, including sports, drama, clubs, and dances. (Please see Student Handbook for Citizenship Information)
Academic Success and College/Career Preparation: Research indicates there is a positive and statistically significant relationship between student attendance and academic achievement and other student outcomes (Hein et al., 2013; Chang and Romero, 2008; Allensworth et al., 2014; Balfanz et al., 2007).
Future Ready Index/ESSA score – CHRONIC ABSENTEEISM: Pennsylvania will use the percentage of students who have missed more than 10 percent of school days in the academic year, or approximately 18 days in a 180-day school year as an indicator of success when determining a school’s future ready index score.