Dear Cub Families,

The Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) is currently finalizing the 2023-2024 School Quality Profile Reports based on data from the 2022-2023 school year. We do have preliminary information, and it appears that Cub Run will be identified as level 2 for attendance. This means that we had a specific percentage of students with more than 17 absences. The VDOE deems 17 or more absences a year as excessive absenteeism.

Thus, with approximately 15% of our students missing 17 or more days of school and approximately 50% of our students missing 10 or more days of school, we want to work with families this year in ensuring all students are attending school regularly. We completely understand that illnesses and family events happen, and we certainly will work with families in all situations. We want to maintain open conversations and communication with families regarding daily attendance, and we know that partnering together we can ensure all students are attending regularly and learning every day!

Following in this newsletter is much information about school attendance. If you want "just the basics" and the "jist" of the information, read the two sections following this one. If you would like more in-depth information, then read on through this newsletter. Please contact us if you have any questions!

We look forward to working with our families!

Ms. Martz

Excused Absences

The student is absent with parent/guardian permission for one of the following reasons: illness, medical or dental appointments, a death in the family, legal appointments, religious holidays, and prearranged absences approved by the principal or designee or other emergencies discussed with and approved by the principal or designee. In this regard, the principal or designee will consider the nature of the specific request of the parent, number of prior excused and unexcused absences and tardies, past and current grades as well as the student’s discipline record when making decisions about whether to excuse any pre-arranged absence.

Unexcused Absences

All other absences for reasons not included in the above definition of an excused absence are considered unexcused. Examples of unexcused absences include: personal business, not having a parent note as required, suspension, oversleeping, haircuts, shopping, failure to catch the school bus, and failure of private transportation.

Living in the Cub Run Elementary School’s attendance area is a prerequisite for attending CRES. Any exceptions need to have the superintendent’s approval. Children not enrolled in this school shall not be permitted to visit during school hours without prior permission by the principal.

Rockingham County Public Schools’ Attendance Policy-Students are expected to be in school, in class and ready for instruction. School attendance is critical to academic achievement and preparing students for the world of work and personal success. A good attendance record is an indication that an individual is willing to accept responsibility, exert self-discipline, and develop good work habits necessary for success in school, at work, and in life. Regular attendance is the first step to academic success. Students who are frequently absent miss instruction in key concepts and skills. We ask that parents set the tone for their child by encouraging good attendance and by communicating that school is their child’s job and therefore, his or her responsibility every day.

Rockingham County Public Schools has adopted a School Board policy regarding student attendance (RCPS JED). This can be accessed at the following web site: RCPS School Board Attendance Policy.

Regular and punctual attendance is essential for optimum growth and development of students. Records of attendance are maintained on a local, county, and state level. Students entering the building after 8:15 a.m. will be documented as being tardy and must be signed in by a parent or guardian.

Arrival

Your child’s safety is a number one priority for us. Students being driven to school may begin arriving at school at 8:00 am. In order to provide appropriate supervision and keep your child safe, we ask that your child remain in the vehicle with you until a school official is present. A CRES official will be promptly visible at 8:00 am.

Attendance Policy

Rockingham County Public Schools has adopted a School Board policy regarding student attendance (RCPS JED). Please see the link above for information.

Tardies

Please note that once a student has accumulated an excessive number of tardies, a doctor’s note may be required for any and all future tardies. Otherwise, the tardies will be recorded as unexcused. Once a student has an excessive number of unexcused/unverified tardies the Attendance Officer for Rockingham County Schools will be notified of the attendance issue.

Dismissal

Any student wishing to go home any other way than he/she is regularly scheduled must provide a written permission letter from home to be submitted to the child’s teacher. If the transportation change involves more than one student then all students involved must bring notes from each parent.

The instructional day lasts until 2:55 p.m., and car-rider pick-up begins at approximately 3:00 p.m. It is very important for your child to remain in the classroom until the bell rings so he/she does not miss important instruction and information. Students are not permitted to leave school before their school day is completed unless they are approved in the office and properly signed out. Students who expect to leave early must bring in a note or signed statement from their parents giving a reason for the early dismissal, the time for dismissal, and the telephone number where the parent can be contacted. If the student is leaving early from school in a habitual manner, an attendance improvement plan may be implemented and a meeting the RCPS Attendance Officer may be scheduled. In the event you cannot avoid picking up your child before dismissal, a secretary will call the classroom for your child to meet you in the office to be signed out. Children are not allowed to leave the school grounds early without permission of a parent or guardian. A written request or a call by the parent is required by 2:00 p.m. All children must be signed out in the office. If your child has an appointment and needs to leave early, a member of the office staff will call your child to the office to meet you. This safe school practice helps us avoid having children picked up by unauthorized persons and to reduce classroom interruptions. If any person other than the parent or guardian is to pick up the child, the school must receive a statement from the parent giving permission for any other designated person to sign out and transport the student. If transportation is by someone other than the parent this should be noted.

III. Elementary, Middle and High School Attendance Policy

All schools in Rockingham County shall record absences for all students. This record is part of each

student’s permanent school record. Absences are recorded for students absent for the entire school day, as well as for middle school and high school students who are absent for any specific class period.

If a student must be absent from school, a parent or guardian must contact their child’s school by phone, email or note and state the reason for their child’s absence. If word has not been received from the home concerning the absence, the school will make every attempt to contact the parent or guardian of each absent student by phone, email or any other electronic means to obtain an explanation. A documented attempt will be made to contact the parent if a student is absent without administrative approval or knowledge. Failure of the parent or guardian to provide an explanation of the absence within 5 days of an absence will result in the absence being coded as “unexcused". Early intervention with the student and parent or parents shall take place for repeated unexcused

absences.

A. Notification Procedures and Consequences for Failure to Comply with this Policy

For all absences, the school will contact the student’s home each day the student is absent from school when there is no indication that the student’s parent is aware of and supports the absence.

1. All Unexcused/Unverified Absences shall be recorded.

2. Third Unexcused or Unverified Absence

The school principal or designee shall contact the parent or guardian in written form via letter or electronically of the absences and inform the parent of the compulsory attendance policy.

3. Fifth Unexcused or Unverified Absence

When a student has received five unexcused absences, the school principal or designee shall make a reasonable effort to ensure that direct contact is made with the parent. The parent shall be contacted in a face-to-face conference, by telephone, or through the use of other communication devices. During the direct contact with the parent and the student (if appropriate), reasons for nonattendance shall be documented and the consequences of nonattendance explained. An attendance plan shall be made with the student and parent or parents to resolve the nonattendance

issues. The student and parent may be referred to a school-based multi-disciplinary team for assistance implementing the attendance plan and for case management.

4. Seventh Unexcused Absence

When the student receives the seventh unexcused absence, the school principal or designee shall schedule a face-to-face attendance conference or an interaction that is conducted through the use of communication technology. The attendance conference must be held within 10 school days from the date of the tenth unexcused absence. The principal or principal’s designee shall make reasonable efforts to contact the student’s parent or parents to attend the attendance conference either in person or via communication technology. If the principal or principal’s designee, after reasonable efforts have been made, are unable to contact the student’s parent or parents, the conference shall be held regardless of whether the student’s parent approves of the conference. The conference shall incorporate a school-based multidisciplinary team that includes the principal or principal’s designee, and school personnel (which may be a representative or representatives from the multi-disciplinary team) and may include community service providers.

The school-based multi-disciplinary team shall monitor the student’s attendance and, as necessary, meet again to address concerns and plan additional interventions if the student’s attendance does not improve. If additional meetings are necessary the principal or principal’s designee should make reasonable efforts to contact the student’s parent or parents and schedule a face-to-face meeting, or an interaction that is conducted through the use of communication technology. If the principal or principal’s designee, after reasonable efforts have been made, are unable to contact the student’s parent or parents, the conference shall be held regardless of whether the student’s parent approves of the conference.

A record shall be maintained of each meeting that includes the attendance plan, the name of individuals in attendance at each conference meeting (including via telephone or electronic devices), the location and date of the conference, a summary of what occurred, and follow-up steps.

Intervention and Strategies may include the following:

• School Based interventions such as; schedule change, after school tutoring to make up missed assignments, daily Check-in /Check-out with designated school staff, or requirement to ride the school bus to and from school.

• Parent suggestions such as; scheduled bedtime and wake up time, curfew, limit use of electronics, gaming and phone at nighttime, required use of school transportation to and from school.

• Parent may be required to provide proof of medical appointments scheduled during the school day

• The student may be referred to the school counselor, Early Intervention Counselor, school social worker, Career Coach, Community Services Board, the Department of Social Services or other community agencies.

Chronic non-compliance with school attendance may result in consequences such as:

• Suspension of driving privileges

• After-school detention

• Suspension of extra-curricular activities

• Poor school standing

• In-school suspension

• Return of an out of district student to their home high school

• Referral to the Attendance Officer for a community based Interdisciplinary team meeting or a referral to the Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court

5. Additional Unexcused or Unverified Absence

Upon continued unexcused or unverified absences from school, or at the discretion of the principal or designee, a student may be referred to the attendance officer. The attendance officer shall enforce the compulsory attendance regulation by taking one or more of the following actions:

a. Meet individually with the parent/guardian and the student to discuss school based interventions and the barriers affecting improved attendance.

b. Hold a community based inter-disciplinary team meeting with the parent/guardian and student to discuss school based interventions and the barriers affecting improved attendance and develop a plan of action.

c. File a complaint with the juvenile and domestic relations court alleging the pupil is a child in need of supervision as defined in § 16.1-228 or (ii) instituting proceedings against the parent pursuant to § 18.2-371 or § 22.1-262. In filing a complaint against the student, the attendance officer shall provide written documentation of the efforts already undertaken to resolve the student’s absence. If the student’s parents have joint physical custody of the student and the school has notice of the custody arrangement, then both parents shall be notified at their last known addresses.

An attendance officer, or a division superintendent or the superintendent’s designee when acting as an attendance officer pursuant to Va. Code § 22.1-258, may complete, sign, and file with the intake officer of the juvenile and domestic relations district court, on forms approved by the Supreme Court of Virginia, a petition for a violation of a school attendance order entered by the juvenile and domestic relations district court pursuant to Va. Code § 16.1-278.5 in response to the filing of a petition alleging the pupil is a child in need of supervision as defined in Va. Code § 16.1-228.

IV. Parent Provided Transportation

If a parent chooses to provide transportation to and from school for their child who attends elementary, middle or high school, the parent is legally responsible for getting the student to school on time each day. If the student is chronically late to school, Rockingham County Public Schools may initiate an attendance improvement plan.

V. Early Dismissal

Students who leave school early are required to follow proper procedures and leave school property. Students are not permitted to leave school before their school day is completed unless they are approved in the office and have properly signed out. Students who expect to leave early must have their parents provide to the school by phone, email or written note the reason for the early dismissal, the time for dismissal, and the telephone number where the parent can be contacted. If transportation is by someone other than the parent, this should be included in the communication from the parent.

If the student is leaving early from school in a habitual manner and picked up from school by the parent or with the parent's permission, Rockingham County Public Schools may initiate an attendance improvement plan.

X. Family Vacation

The school division recommends no more than five absences due to family vacation during regularly scheduled school days. These five absences (can/will) be vacation excused(VE) if the parent/guardian shall notify the principal or designee by email or note prior to the vacation indicating the dates of the vacation. Click here to access the CRES Vacation Request Form.

The principal has the discretion to count vacation absences beyond five days as excused or unexcused based on the student’s prior school absences, whether or not the student has a current attendance improvement plan and the academic standing of the student. Parents are encouraged to consider scheduling vacations around school holidays and breaks.

For all absences, the school will contact the student’s home each day the student is absent from school when there is no indication that the student’s parent is aware of and supports the absence.