Author: Franchis Cook

My child was absent, now what?

What I must do
Report the absence to the school. (Notes from home explaining the reasons for students’ absences should be received within 3 days of the absence.)
Provide an excuse letter
(In the case of illness doctor’s excuse should be attached. In the case of a death a copy of the obituary should be attached.)
Email your child’s teacher and request make up work.
An excuse form can be found on the school’s website and will be automatically emails to the school’s registrar.
How is attendance recorded?
Teachers take attendance daily
Front Office records school-wide attendance at 9am

Georgia law provides for special treatment of absences in the following circumstances:
Georgia law provides up to 5 days of excused absences for students whose parents are in the armed forces and who are called to duty or home on leave from overseas deployment in a combat zone.
Students serving as Pages of the Georgia General Assembly will be counted as present for days missed from school for such service.
Students volunteering to work as poll officers in the Student Teen Election Program (STEP) will be counted present for up to two (2)days of service in that program.
Foster care students attending court proceedings related to their foster care shall be credited as present for any day(s) or portion of a day missed from school for that purpose.
State law provides that any parent/guardian who does not comply with compulsory attendance mandates (O.C.G.A 20-2-690.1) shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction thereof, shall be subject to a fine not less than $25.00 and not greater than 100.00, imprisonment not to exceed 30 days, community service, or any combination of such penalties, at the discretion of the court having jurisdiction. Each day of absence from school in violation of this section after the child’s school system notifies the parent/guardian of five unexcused days of absence shall constitute a separate offense.

659 Allgood Road
Stone Mountain GA 30083
Phone: 678- 676-5102
Fax: 678-676- 5110
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ATTENDANCE MATTERS!

Allgood Elementary School
All-one, All-together, Allgood
A PBIS School

ATTENDANCE POLICY
What the school does

1st and 2nd unexcused absences—Teacher will notify the parent of absences.
3rd absence— Attendance Protocol Manager (APM) will send a three day letter to parent/guardian informing them of their child’s absence.
4th—5th absence the APM will complete a referral to the school counselor and social worker.
6th absence the APM will send a six day unexcused attendance letter to the parent/guardian, informing them of consequences of continued absences.
8th absence a 2nd referral will be submitted to the school social worker. School Social Worker will conference with the parent/guardian and student for assessment and/or possible referral to Juvenile Court, Solicitor-General’s Office, Department of Family and Children services and other agencies.

What I must know:
State law mandates children between 6 and 16 to attend school.
5 days of unexcused absences is a legal offense.
Family vacations, routine doctor appointments, child caring for sick family, and oversleeping / missing bus are NOT excused absences.
The excuses listed below are the only acceptable excuses
Excused absences are defined by Georgia law as follows:
Personal Illness
Serious Illness or Death in the Family
Religious Holiday
Instances in which Attendance Could be Hazardous as Determined by the DCSD
Registering to Vote/Voting in a Public Election
Test and Physical Exams for Military Service and National Guard
Other Such absences as Provided for by Law or by the Local Board of Education
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What does the start of the day look like at Allgood?
7:10am All students are in the cafeteria or overflow area.
7:20am Students who are not eating proceed to classrooms.
7:40am Morning announcements are made.
7:45am Instructions begins. “D.E.A.R Time” Students Drop Everything And Read.
What happens when my child is late?
Please walk your child into school for check in (see below)
7:46am All tardy students will report to the cafeteria for D.E.A.R. Time and for documentation of tardiness and to receive a tardy pass.
8:00am All tardy students will report to the front office for documentation of tardiness and to receive a tardy pass.
What is excessive tardiness and the procedures the school will follow to deal with excessive tardiness? Please be aware that chronic tardiness (5 unexcused) effects your child's attendance and will be reported to the School Counselor and School Social Worker It is her job to help with any outside/home situations that is negatively effecting the child’s performance in school.