Attendance
Attendance Matters.
We expect our students to attend school every day, on time and through until dismissal. It is important that all Conwell students strive for perfect attendance records our attendance goal is 95% for all students.
If a student is absent, a parental note must be submitted the following school day to excuse the absence. Notes must be submitted each time a student is late or absent so that the office staff may code the lateness or absence excused. Unexcused absences are coded as parental neglect or truancy. (Notes can be submitted via Google form or written note sent with student to advisor.)
Our students’ success depends on the cooperation of students and their families and we ask that everyone work together to help our students meet our attendance requirements. Parents who are not committed to our policy will be asked to transfer their child to the neighborhood school.
If you should need another language, please click here to visit The School District of Philadelphia’s Office of Student Rights and Responsibilities page.
Who is Required to Attend School?
The Pennsylvania School Compulsory Law requires students from the ages of 8-17 to attend school on a daily bases. As Philadelphia is a District of the First Class, the requirement for school attendance is between the ages of 6-17. Once a student is enrolled in school, he/she can only be withdrawn if he/she transfers out of the District. The student will remain on the District’s roll and the child/family is subjected to Truancy Court if they do not attend school.
What Happens (at the school level) When my Child is Absent?
School Process
1. Parents must submit an absence note to the school within three days of the children’s unexcused absence. After 3 days, the School Principal/Designee will make a determination if the note will be accepted. If the note has been accepted, the teacher will make the corrections and then submit to the main office so that it can be changed in the Student Information System (SIS).
2. At the 3rd unexcused absence, the C-31 (Three Day Legal Notice from SDP) will be sent to the Parent/Guardian to make them aware that the child has missed 3 days (consecutive/nonconsecutive) of school.
3. At the 6th unexcused absence, the school must utilize the Online Interventions Module (MTSS/RtII) and create an attendance plan for the student. The school should also arrange a meeting with the parent/guardian of the child to inquire about the truancy and come up with a plan to help remove any barriers to the student’s truancy.
4. At the 10th unexcused absence, the Truancy Referral should be submitted to the Office of Attendance & Truancy.
5. Once the referral has been submitted to the Office of Attendance & Truancy, it may take up to 6 weeks for the student/family to receive a citation for Truancy Court. Schools can check the S73 (Court Activity Screen) in School Computer Network (SCN), once a student has a court date to view dispositions and status updates.
6. Grades K-3 must be submitted on the DHS Referral Sheet.
7. Grades 4-11th must be submitted on the Family Court Referral Sheet.
8. Siblings from the same school should be submitted together on the referral sheets.