The following message was emailed to PSD families and staff on Sept. 24.
Attendance in PSD is off to a great start in 2024-25! Our district attendance rate is currently 91.9%. We want to thank our students, families, staff, and community for their efforts to improve student attendance.
Monthly automated attendance notifications mentioned in our previous message on Aug. 19 will start on Friday, Sept. 27, when students reach chronically absent and habitually truant thresholds set by the state.
We know children get sick and need to stay home occasionally. We also know our students and families have a variety of experiences and circumstances that are challenging, and that doesn’t mean they don’t understand the importance of attending school. If you receive one of the notifications mentioned above, please know your school is here to support you and your child.
Excused Absences Update
Following our last communication about attendance, we heard concerns from families and members of our community about which situations qualify as excused or unexcused absences. After listening to your feedback, we want you to know that your voice was heard, and adjustments have been made. In addition to reasons listed in Attendance Policy JH/JHB, the following reasons can also be excused as pre-arranged/excused absences in PSD for K-12 schools:
- Appointments with a doctor, dentist, or therapist
- College or university visits
- Funerals
- Non-school organized competitive activities
- Serious illness or death of immediate family member
- Vacations**
- VISA expiration/renewal from home country
- Weddings
**The principal may deny an excused absence for vacations on a case-by-case basis after working with families to understand if there are circumstances around vacation timing that may be out of their control.
Support for Challenges Impacting Attendance
Our school and district staff want to support our students and families when they are faced with obstacles and challenges that impact attendance. School staff can partner with families to create exclusions that would remove their absences from the attendance counts that generate the automated notifications for instances such as:
- Documented medical conditions
- Mental health impairments
- Disability-related conditions
- Foster care placements
- McKinney-Vento support
- Religious or cultural events
- Other documented barriers
What to Do Before a Planned Absence
We understand it is not always possible for families to make travel plans and appointments after school, during district breaks, or days off from school. When possible, please report pre-planned absences as early as possible to your school or through ParentVUE. Schools may reach out directly to families when there are high numbers of absences and concerns about student academic performance, social development, or connection to school culture. Again, please know we are here to partner with you in addressing underlying causes for these absences. Together we can address specific needs of your child and reach our 95% attendance goal.
Students in our secondary schools should also talk with their teachers when they know they will be absent. This may allow students to get work ahead of time or arrange a plan for support when they return.
A Message from Superintendent Kingsley
Thank you for allowing us to serve your students and welcome your family as an integral part of the PSD community. Please watch the video below featuring our superintendent, Brian Kingsley, to learn more about why attendance counts.