Attendance Office

Thomas Jefferson High School Attendance & BECCA Law

Tardy Policy (As it appears in the Student Handbook/Planner)

It is important in any educational program that students be punctual and regular in their attendance. State law also mandates attendance through the BECCA process. The education process requires continuity of instruction and classroom participation which is lost with excessive absences. Regular attendance also establishes habits of punctuality and dependability, qualities that will be valuable to students throughout their adult lives.

Home instruction is available for students with a medically prescribed confinement that will be of one month duration or longer which is verified by a physician (P & R 5113, RCW 28A.27.010). 

ATTENDANCE FAQQ: My child will be absent.

A: The best way to report a full-day absence is through your Parent Vue, but you can also call or send an email. Please be sure to include the student’s name, ID number and reason for the absence.

If you are planning an absence longer than 2 days, a pre-arranged absence form should be filled out and given to your child's school at least at least one week prior to the absence.

Q: My child will be late.

A: Call, email or send a note with your student. When they arrive at school, please remind them to sign in at the attendance office. Students that do not sign in remain unexcused in their calendar.

Q: My student has an appointment and needs to leave or be picked up early.

A: Before class starts, send a note with your student with their name, ID number, time and reason for early release. If they do not have a note, the person picking them up will need to come into the building with their ID. If this person is not listed as an Emergency Contact, we will be unable to release the student.

Q: My student is sick and needs to go home.

A: Sick students need to go to the health room to see the nurse. If your child calls or texts you from class saying they need to go home sick, please re-direct them to the health room. The nurse will call you if they need to go home.

Q: I received a phone call saying my student was tardy or absent, but my child says he/she was present.

A: If this is an error and is realized the same day it occurs, the teachers have access to adjust it. If it is discovered the next day, students can either speak with their teacher in person or send them an email. The teacher will then communicate to the Attendance Office how the absence mark should be adjusted.

General Attendance Information

· If a student arrives within the first 20 minutes, they go directly to class and will be marked tardy. Students are not required to stop at attendance from 7:25 a.m. to 7:45 a.m.

· If a student arrives after 7:45 a.m., they will be marked as absent until they check in at the attendance office before going to class. Should they choose not to sign in, their attendance is not adjusted.

· Students with continuous tardies or absences, excused or unexcused, may be required to attend a conference with their parents and/or an administrator.

· When sending a note with your student, please include the following information: Student’s full name, ID number (if known), Parent/Guardian Name & Signature, and contact number in case we have questions.

· We ask that student absences be reported within two days, but attendance can always be reported by a parent or guardian. Please log in to your Parent Vue to view unexcused absences before reaching out.