ABSENCE AND ATTENDANCE POLICIES
Regular school attendance is essential to academic success and achievement. Both school attendance and class attendance are mandatory. Classes begin at 8:15 a.m. and end at 3:00 p.m. Students should arrive at 8:05 a.m., in time for the first bell.
Early Dismissal
Any student needing to leave
before the close of the normal day must present a note from a parent/guardian
stating the date, time, and reason for departure. These notes must be
brought to the main office before Period 1 on the day the student is to
be dismissed early, so they can receive a pass to leave class at the appropriate time and meet their parent/guardian in the office. Before departing, the student is to be signed out on
the sign-out sheet in the main office by the parent/guardian.
Absences
If a student is going to be
absent, the parent/guardian is asked to either email a note to our attendance secretary at SilverCreekAttendance@mcpsmd.org, or call the school attendance line at
240-740-2201 on the morning of the absence and send a note to the Main
Office when your child returns to school.
Notes must contain the following information:
Today’s date
FULL NAME of student
Date(s)of absence
Reason for absence
Name and Signature of parent/guardian
Download a sample attendance note here
If absent for more than 3 days due to illness, please provide a doctor's note.
Maryland State Law is specific in
outlining what absences and tardies the principal may excuse.
Excused Absences - The following may
be considered excused if the proper procedure is followed and if documentation
is presented:
-Illness
-Medical
appointments
-Death in the
immediate family
-Religious
observance
-Court summons
-Authorized work or
activity accepted by school authorities (i.e.
educational experience)
-Family travel is not normally
an excused absence. In cases of unusual family circumstances, however, a family
travel absence may be approved after a parent contacts the appropriate
grade-level administrator. Such requests should be submitted in writing at
least five (5) days in advance of the anticipated absence
Unexcused Absences - All absences not listed above are considered to be unexcused
Excessive Absences - If a student will be absent over a long period of time, the school administration must be notified. If a student is absent more than 3 days, parents may arrange to pick up any missed class work by contacting the counseling office
Make up work
Students have the
responsibility to make up all assignments regardless of the reason for the
absence
Tardiness
To School - The student must
report to the main office and have a parent sign them in when arriving after
the 8:15 a.m. late bell. A note from a parent/guardian must be presented
to be admitted to class, or from a doctor if at a doctor's appointment. The attendance secretary will code the tardy
as excused or unexcused.
To Class - Unexcused tardies
are not acceptable. Students may be excused from a tardy when they enter class
with an appropriate pass.
Excessive Unexcused Tardies or
Absences will be handled administratively with parent/guardian involvement.
Students are expected to be in class on time. Teachers will handle
tardies on a case-by-case basis.
Attending after-school activities
Students must be in school
during the day to be eligible to attend afternoon and evening activities
(games, dances, etc.). In-school suspension/exclusion and suspension will
result in automatic exclusion from these activities.
Students attending after school
activities and riding the activity bus MUST remain on school property
and be part of a sanctioned after school activity to be eligible to ride the
MCPS provided activity bus.