Attendance
Attendance is the single-most important factor in determining academic achievement. Please schedule appointments and family vacations outside of the school day.
Attendance Procedures
- Reporting an Absence
- Concerns About Attendance
- Early Dismissal/ Late Arrival
- Truancy
- Planned Family Activities
- Becca Bill Attendance Requirements
Reporting an Absence
Parent/guardian calls/emails the Attendance Office Samiattendance@tacoma.k12.wa.us or (253) 571-2300
- The student brings a note from a parent/guardian to the Main Office following an absence.
- The note must include the student’s first and last name, the date(s) of the absence, and the reason for the absence and a signature from the parent or guardian.
Concerns About Attendance
Concerns about a student's attendance?
Early Dismissal/ Late Arrival
Early Dismissals
If a student must leave school during the day for any reason (medical, dental, disciplinary), a dismissal slip must be obtained from the Attendance Office. A written request with signature of parent or guardian for dismissal, to include both the time and reason for dismissal, is to be presented to the Attendance Secretary before school on the day of the early dismissal. Parents or guardians must provide valid identification prior to the release of a student.
If a student becomes ill during the day, an early dismissal slip will be issued by the nurse or the office after
contact with the parent/guardian has been made and authorization has been given for the student to leave
school early.
Late Arrivals
- If a student arrives less than 10 minutes late for his/her first class of the day, the student will report directly to class. Students must comply with each teacher’s policy for tardiness.
- If a student arrives to school more than 10 minutes late for his/her first class, the student will be marked absent and Parent/Guardian should provide a note, with the estimated time of arrival and a valid reason for the late arrival, to submit to the Attendance Secretary for the absence to be excused. The attendance secretary will update the attendance if there is an excused tardy to class. Staff are asked to take attendance only once during the period so that they can focus on instruction. Students and families are asked to manage attendance records through the main office.
- Ask staff for a note if SAMi staff have detained you. If a student is late to class for personal reasons, it is required that the student comply with the teacher’s class rules for tardiness. Passes to class are not given out by the office if a student is tardy to a class.
Truancy
administration to discuss options to support your students attendance; (4) a BECCA petition stay will be filed at your student’s 5th absence; and (5) an attendance support team meeting will be scheduled to look at additional supports for your student’s attendance. Chronic truancy will become a larger conversation with truancy court.
Planned Family Activities
Approval is at the discretion of the principal. Approval or denial is on a student-by-student basis, and shall include a fair consideration of the impact of the planned absence on the student's academic progress.
Except in extenuating circumstances, the total number of days for excused absences due to planned family activities in a school year shall not exceed five (5) days.
Requests for Homework For an absence of one or two days, please email the teachers or check their teacher websites for work. Parents/Guardians may call the Attendance Office to request homework when a student has not attended school for three (3) days or more.