Reporting Absences

If your child(ren) will be absent or tardy, please notify the office by calling or emailing the attendance line. Absences or tardiness should be reported by 9:15 am.

If your child(ren) will be absent or tardy, please notify the office by calling or emailing the attendance line. Absences or tardiness should be reported by 9:15 a.m. and can be reported using our attendance phone number 703-426-3737, our attendance email @email, or our online attendance form.

The school is required to account for all absences; therefore, school personnel will call to check absentees not accounted for in advance.  Since this is a time-consuming process, your call is greatly appreciated. This procedure does not relieve the parent of the need to write a note supporting the absence. Virginia State Law and the Fairfax County School Board Policy require that a written note of explanation from the parent or guardian be presented to the classroom teacher when the student returns to school.

Early Dismissals

Parents are asked to notify the school of early releases or dismissal changes through the PickUp Patrol (PUP) app. 

Attendance Guidelines

FCPS believes and research has shown that students who regularly attend school have the most academic success. Parents and school staff members can work together to encourage students to participate fully in the school program—by being present, arriving on time, and being connected, committed and engaged in the learning process.

Absence or tardiness for the following reasons are considered excused:

• Illness of the student
• Death in the family or family emergency
• Medical appointment
• Observance of a religious holiday

Absence or tardiness for the following reasons are considered unexcused:

• Family trip
• Child care problems
• Oversleeping
• Non-school related activities
• Traffic
• Missing the bus

Be specific about the reason why your child will not be attending school. If your child is home sick, please indicate whether your child has any of the following symptoms:

• Feeling feverish or chills
• Fever greater than or equal to 100.4F
• Headache (not due to another health condition, hunger, menstrual cramps, stress, or injury)
• A new cough (not due to another health condition)
• Shortness of breath or breathing difficulties (not due to diagnosed respiratory condition or if different than normal pattern of chronic condition)
• A new sore throat (not due to another health condition)
• Congestion or runny nose (not related to allergies or another health condition)
• Fatigue (more tired than normal or sudden onset)
• New muscle pain (no due to another health condition or that may have been caused by a specific activity such as physical exercise)
• New loss of taste, smell, or appetite
• Abdominal pain (not due to hunger, constipation, injury, or stress)
• Nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea

We encourage family trips during scheduled school vacations and strongly discourage taking such trips during the school year because these extended absences interrupt the continuity of learning. 

According to FCPS policy, we must withdraw any student from enrollment who is absent from school for 15 consecutive days or more. Upon the student’s return, a parent must again officially enroll him or her.