Dear Mountain View Parents and Guardians:

This letter is written to explain important parts of our attendance policy. We must verify every absence for each of our students. The easiest way for us to do this is to get a signed note from parents or guardians that states the reason for the absence. If we don’t get notes then we must call. All absences are either excused or unexcused. Your signed note (with the reason for the absence) lets us determine if the absence is excused or not. School district policy defines what absences may be excused. They include:

Participation in a school-approved activity— An example would be a high school student attending a writing conference would be excused from math, art, science; all their remaining classes. Doesn’t fit elementary classes.
Absence due to illness, health condition, family emergency, or religious purposes— These are most common. If kids are sick they’re excused. If they have measles, conjunctivitis, or head lice they’re excused. Family emergencies are excused; but they must be real emergencies. Oversleeping, broken alarm clocks, or making a trip to Silverdale are not emergencies. If you’re celebrating religious holidays your child’s absences are excused.
Absences for parent-approved activities— These are pretty clear. If you think your child will benefit from non-school activities that occur during the school day you can request that their absence be excused. The absence can be excused only if it’s pre-arranged a minimum of 48 hours in advance and approved by the school principal. Before I approve such an absence I’ll talk to the teacher to make sure that the absences won’t adversely affect the students performance in the class. I’ll also check previous absences.
Absences for medical or dental appointments— If you can’t get an appointment outside of the school day, time lost for medical or dental appointments will be excused. Please send a note with your child explaining what he or she will be doing, and be sure to sign your child in and out from the office.
Absences resulting from disciplinary action or short-term suspension— When kids are suspended from school their absences are excused.

It’s best if kids attend every day that they’re physically able. When they don’t, we are governed by our district policy and state law for classifying absences as excused or unexcused and/or following truancy procedures. You can help us by making sure that your child misses school only for one of the reasons listed above, and by sending a signed note that explains why he or she was gone.

Thanks for your help. Please call us at 379-4530 if you need additional information