Your child's attendance is taken at 7:35 am. 

Attendance procedures, for students in Grade 5 through Grade 8, will be administered through the middle school main office only. 

When your child is absent from school, the All Call system will make a call to your home. If you call in to report the absence or not, you will receive a call from the All Call System, since the absence is unexcused until a note is received to indicate otherwise. Please send in the note within the three-day window of returning to school or your child’s absence will be marked unexcused.

ATTENDANCE POLICY

WITHIN THREE (3) DAYS of a child’s return to school, the parent/guardian MUST submit a written note with the child’s name, date of absence, reason for absence and parent/guardian's signature.
Failure to return a note within three (3) days will result in the absence being recorded UNEXCUSED. Saucon Valley School Board considers the following conditions to constitute acceptable excuses for absence from school.

• Illness
• Quarantine
• Recovery from an accident
• Required court attendance
• Death in the immediate family
  
  

If the absence is excused, it is the student’s responsibility to make arrangements with teachers as soon as possible to make up the work missed. If an absence is expected to occur for an extended period of time, parents should call the middle school office before 9:00 AM and arrange for homework assignments. Whenever absent from school, a student may not participate in any school activity after school that day unless previous arrangements are made with the principal.

If an excuse is not returned within three days, a letter will be sent to the parents/guardians informing them that the absence will be recorded as UNEXCUSED.

Excessive Absences
If a student accumulates 3 consecutive absences, a phone call will be made by their teacher.

If a student accumulates 5 consecutive absences, a phone call will be made by the school counselor and a letter of concern may be sent home.

If a student accumulates 7 EXCUSED/UNEXCUSED absences, a second letter will be sent home, notifying you that if the student acquires 3 more days missed of school, their absence will require any further absences will need to be accompanied by a doctor’s excuse.

If a student accumulates 10 EXCUSED/UNEXCUSED absences, a third letter will be sent home, immediately requiring that any further absences be accompanied by a doctor’s excuse.

If a student continues to be absent, the absences will be unexcused and the procedure for unexcused absences will be followed.

Unexcused Absences
If a student accumulates 3 UNEXCUSED absences, a letter of concern will be sent home.

If a student accumulates 4 UNEXCUSED absences, a letter of concern will be sent home and the district judge may be notified.

If a student accumulates 5 UNEXCUSED absences, a letter of concern will be sent home, a conference with your child counselor and/or principals may be held, and the district judge may be notified.

Early Excusal
Students are not permitted to leave the school campus at any time during the school day without permission from the principal or designee. If a student must be excused early, a note must be presented to the MS main office the morning of the early dismissal. The note should include: (1) the date and time of dismissal; (2) reason; (3) parent’s signature. The secretary will notify teachers that your child will be leaving early. When you arrive, you will need to show your students' school ID or your personal ID. Parents must sign their child out on the sheet inside the main lobby doors. If the student returns to school the same day, he/she has to report to the MS main office before going to class, they will be given an admission slip to give to their classroom teacher.

Early Morning Appointments
For an early morning appointment (e.g., orthodontist, doctor), a note should be presented on the day of the appointment or a telephone call should be made to the main office the same day of the appointment. The office will be open at 7:15 AM. A message may also be left on the voicemail. 

Family Educational Trips
Saucon Valley School Board believes that students must be in regular attendance in order to benefit fully from the educational programs and services offered by the district. In accordance with School Board Policy, family trips for educational purposes and educational tours are considered excused absences.

Parents who plan to take their children on an educational trip while school is in session may request an excused absence for the student if the following conditions are met:

• The pupil’s parents/guardians submit to the office a written request for the excusal on a district form at least (5) school days prior to the trip.
• The pupil’s participation on the trip/tour has been approved by the principal.
• The student or parent presents to each of the student’s teachers a written request for assignments expected to be completed during the period of the student's absence at least three (3) school days prior to the first day of student absence.
• The parent accepts total responsibility for the education of the student during the period of absence. The parent recognizes that classroom experiences cannot be duplicated and the absence could place that student at an academic disadvantage. Such responsibility includes, but is not limited to, monitoring the completion of all assignments and their submission to the teachers on the first day the student returns to school.
• Please do not schedule vacations during PSSA testing weeks. (See District Calendar)
  
  

Family Vacations
According to state law, family vacations cannot be classified as legal absences from school. Although not legally excused, SVMS cannot and would not prevent students from accompanying parents on the trip.

However, please be aware that (1) you are responsible for all missed work (2) you may not have the opportunity to “make up” tests and (3) parents may be served a Legal Notice of Absence if the absence from school is for three or more days. Note: the “first notice” does not carry a fine, but future illegal absences may require payment of a fine. Parents are advised to notify the school (in writing) well in advance of the planned trip, to be deemed “an educational trip” by the principal as described above. The form is available in the middle school main office or on the school district website.

Tardiness To School
Arrival at school after 7:35 AM requires the student to report to the middle school attendance office for a tardy slip before entering class. A verbal parental confirmation or a tardy slip, which is to be  completed  by the parent or guardian, must be returned to the homeroom teacher the next school day. After the fifth tardy (not necessarily consecutive days), a letter will be sent to parents/guardians informing them of the tardiness. Additional tardies may result in assigned team detentions and/or parent conference. 

Truancy
If a student is illegally absent from school, he/she will receive a “zero” for work missed during the truancy. The student is required to make-up the time missed by attending after-school detentions. Continued infractions may result in referral to the magistrate.

Please contact the Middle School Office at 610.838.7001 Ext. 3701 or your child's school should you have any additional questions.