Attendance & Punctuality

ATTENDANCE

Regular attendance plays an important role in student achievement, so it is our desire that students attend classes regularly and have a successful year. It is imperative for each family to maintain regular communication with the attendance office staff.

Parents/guardians must notify the school as soon as possible if a student will be absent. There are two options for notifications:

A messages may be left by calling the school and stating the child’s name, homeroom teacher and reason for absence.
The online form located on the school website may be completed and submitted. Online Absence Reporting Form

Excessive Absences:

Excessive absences is defined as 10 or more during a trimester or 30 or more days during a school year (Catholic Schools Department of Education Administrative Handbook 4220). If excessive absences are due to prolonged medical conditions, the school must be notified. In the event the number of missed assignments for the student becomes a burden for the teachers to manage, an administrative conference will take place to determine the best course of action.

Early-Out:

Prior notification from a parent/guardian with a valid excuse for a student being picked up from school during regular school hours is appreciated.
If it is necessary that appointments or other activities take place during the school day, the child must be signed out by a parent/guardian at the School Office.

PUNCTUALITY:

Cultivating discipline and responsibility: Arriving on time is a valuable life skill
that we aim to cultivate in our students. Punctuality teaches discipline, responsibility and respect for others’ time. Classes begin at 8:00 am. All Kindergarten - 8th grade students not in their seat by 8:05 am will be marked tardy. Arriving late to class is disruptive for your child, the teacher and the classroom. By ensuring your child arrives promptly to school, you contribute to the smooth flow of daily activities and demonstrate the importance of honoring commitments.

We want to assure you that our teachers and staff are committed to upholding these standards and modeling them to our students. As partners in this journey, we kindly request your support in reinforcing these principles at home. By consistently following our guidelines, you provide your child with a strong foundation for success, both academically and personally.

Excessive tardiness is defined as six (6) or more tardies during a trimester. Excessive tardies result in administrative consequences including parent communications, after school detention and/or a principal meeting. Excused tardies due to appointments such as medical or dental are not factored in so long as a written verification from a doctor or dentist has been submitted.

FRIDAY MASS ATTENDANCE

We start our Friday mornings by joining parishioners at Mass at 8:15AM. All students, grades TYKE - 8, participate with their class each week. As a Catholic school, going to weekly Mass is part of our school curriculum and culture.

Parents are welcome join their child at Mass. Should you want to sit with your child during Mass, please follow the following procedures:

Students arrive at school on-time to be seated in homeroom by 8:00AM. Teachers will take attendance and go over morning announcements.
Teachers will walk students over to the church around 8:05/8:10AM. Each homeroom is assigned a seating section in the church (See seating chart below).
Students sitting with their parent(s): Parents may meet up their child in the church to take him/her to your seat in the designated areas not assigned to homerooms. We kindly ask that you refrain from taking your child with you to your seat before their class has gotten into the church and seated.
Reuniting students with their teacher: After the priest has processed down the aisle, after the final blessing, parents reunite their child(ren) with their homeroom teacher or class aide in the church. All students will walk back to their homeroom with their teacher together.
Any students arriving to school late, while Mass is in progress, will be sent over to the church to meet up with their class.

Church Decorum:

The front of our church has a beautiful, new narthex. The narthex is a reminder to give us a moment to quiet ourselves before entering a place of worship.

We kindly ask our parents, staff and students to enter the church quietly and with reverence.
We encourage parents to join each other in fellowship, however please keep conversations to a minimum once inside the church doors. Unfortunately, the more people whispering, the louder it gets.