• ATTENDANCE POLICY

    **To inform the school of your student's absence, please fill out the Student Absence Form**
     
    The School Committee, School Administrators and Teachers consider regular attendance essential for success in school. Every student is required to attend regularly and punctually. The school will work with families to ensure students attend school on a daily basis. Attending school for 180 days is the law and is important to the learning process. 
     
    For unexcused absences, the Wang Middle School students primary phone number will receive a phone call at 11 AM. Illness is a valid excuse for absence. Appointments that cannot happen outside of the school day should be kept at a minimum. In keeping with state requirements, the Lowell Public School System acknowledges that an absence is considered to be excused if it is due to one or more of the following well-documented reasons: 
    • Suspension 
    • Illness 
    • Hospitalization 
    • Disability of the child is such that it precludes the child from attending school as determined by a physician 
    • Death of a family member 
    • Court appearance 
    • Religious Holidays/Observations 
    • Incomplete or outdated immunization records 
    • Physician’s statement attesting to a medical condition that prevents school attendance 
    • Required quarantine 
    Procedure when a student is absent: 
    1. Parents or Guardians will fill out the Student Attendance Form at the start of the school day on the dates of absence and notify the school of the student’s absence. 
    2. A student will bring a note from the parent or guardian containing the reason and date (s) of absence no later than the second day following the absence. 
    3. If a student is absent, it is his/her responsibility to complete make-up work due to the absences in the time period indicated in the school wide education service plan. If the schoolwork is not made up, the student may lose credit for incomplete work. 
       
    *Per the LPS handbook, an absence will be considered unexcused if the above steps are not taken.  If a student is excessively absent from school or has a pattern of extensive absenteeism over time the Principal or Designee is authorized to request additional documentation including doctor’s notes.
     

    Increasing Absences:

    Absent 3 days

     

    Obtain a note from the doctor if your child is absent for 3 or more days in a row.

    5-15 unexcused

    After 5 unexcused absences a letter will be sent home and the school Social Worker or Attendance Office may do a home visit.  If the problem persists, DCF or the Court may also become involved.

    15 unexcused

    After 15 consecutive days of unexcused absences, student will be removed from the school roster and must return to Family Resource Center to re-register.

    16+ unexcused

     

    After 16 unexcused absences, a student may have to attend summer school and/or be retained in their current grade.

    What happens when your child is tardy? 

    1. Tardy

    After 8:15am, the student obtains pass in the Main Office to ensure student is not marked absent.

    2. Detention

    After student is tardy three times in a quarter, they will be given detention. 

    3. Multiple Tardies

      School will work with parent and child to devise a plan.
    *Travel during the school year is discouraged and will be labeled as unexcused. If a trip is unavoidable, the student work missed must be made up after the trip. Teachers are not obligated to provide student work before a trip.