Attendance Matters
Help Your Child Success: Build the Habit of Good Attendance
please read this information about our attendance policy. changes have occurred.
The Board of Education has established rules and regulations regarding attendance, absences, and excuses for students. These rules and regulations are intended to comply with Missouir Compulsory Attendance law )167.031 RSMO) which establishes compulsory attendance for all children between the ages of seven and sixteen unless their education is provide4d by other acceptable means or otherwise excusable under the law.
wentzville school district has created a three tiered system for attendance
tier 1 "in the green"
Students with an attendance rate above 95%. Students in tier 1 are considered "in the green." We will continue to monitor his/her attendance.
tier 2 "in the yellow"
Students ranging between 90%-94.99%. Students in tier 2 are considered "in the yellow" and will receive a variety of interventions. Interventions may include: letters, phone calls home, home visits, meetings with principal, counselor, nurse, possible referral to the Missouri Children's Division. These interventions will become more intensive if your student shows a decrease in attendance.
tier 3 "in the red"
Students that drop below 90% are considered "in the red" and will receive more intensive interventions. Interventions may include letters, phone calls home, home visits, meetings with principal counselor, nurse, possible referral to the Missouri Children's Division. These interventions will be come more intensive if your student shows a decrease in attendance.
Is my absence excused or unexcused?
excused absences
- Illness of the student (Dr.'s statement may be required to support such absences)
- Days of religious observance
- Death in the family
- Professional appointment (such as lawyer, doctor, or counselor)
- Birth of a sibling
- Military deployment of parent, grandparent, or sibling
examples of unexcused absences
Family Vacation
Family Celebration
Sports Competition
Visiting Relatives
Inclement Weather
Exceptions will be made by building administrator and will be reviewed on a case by case basis.
how will i know what tier my child is at?
The school will send home a letter at least three times a year to inform you of your child's attendance percentage. You may also call the office at any time to request your attendance percentage. Open lines of communication between home and school are important. Also on Parent Portal you can view your child's attendance to see the number of days missed.
how is the attendance rate calculated?
The attendance rate is NOT pro-rated until the end of the year. For example if your child attends the first day of school but is absent the second, your child would have an attendance rate of 50%. If your child misses part of the day, this part will count as an absence in the calculation of the attendance rate.
help us out...
If you do not leave us a message verifying why the child is absent, you will receive an automated notification via email from the district Blackboard system, and an automated text at your mobile number on record. When replying to your attendance email or calling the school to leave a message about a child's absence, please leave a detailed reason why the child is missing.
Report an absence by calling 636-327-3839. Then please press 1 and leave message. Please include the following in your message:
- Child's name
- Teacher name
- Reason for absence
- Date of absence
what can I do to support my child's good attendance?
- Set a regular bedtime and morning routine
- Lay out clothes and pack backpacks the night before
- Arrive at the bus stop 5 minutes early
- Don't let your child stay home unless he/she is truly sick. Keep in mind complaints of stomach ache and headache can be signs of anxiety and not a reason to stay home
- If your child seems anxious about going to school, talk to the teachers, school counselors, or other parents for advice on how to make him/her comfortable and excited about learning.
- Develop a back-up plan for arriving at school if something come up. Call on family, members, a neighbor, or a friend to help
- Avoid medical appointments and extended trips when school is in session
why does attendance even matter?
- Starting in kindergarten, too many absences can cause children to fall behind in school
- Missing 10% can make it harder to learn to read
- Students can still fall behind if they miss just a day or two every few weeks
- Being late to school may lead to poor attendance
- Absences can affect the whole classroom if the teacher has to slow down learning to help catch children up
contact us
Email: toddkraft@wsdr4.org
Website: http://wentzville.k12.mo.us/course/view.php?id=17
Location: 601 Carr Street, Wentzville, MO 63385
Phone: (636) 327-3839
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Heritage-Elementary-School-110771165687433/
Twitter: @HeritageInt