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Towanda Area School District
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Towanda Area Jr/Sr High » Attendance

Attendance

Feeling connected at school depends on being there. Every day is an opportunity for your student to get to know their peers and get the support they need from their teachers and other caring adults.
 
Here’s what you can do to help your student build good attendance habits:
 
  • Stay informed. Understand your student’s attendance to be sure absences aren’t adding up. The Skyward system can help you track your child’s attendance–and you can work with our school’s office team to correct attendance errors at any time. Visit the Skyward family portal to make sure your account is active and up to date and sign up for school and district text alerts to stay in the loop on ParentSquare. 
  • Talk about it. Start a conversation about the importance of showing up for success in school and life, and for building relationships with teachers and friends. Focus on the positives about the school day and do what you can do to ease your child’s anxieties if they should have them. 
  • Set expectations. Unless your child is sick, they should be in school every day. Not sure if your child should stay home? See our guide to When Your Child Should Stay Home from school. 
  • Sleep matters. A structured routine that includes a regular bedtime and morning routine will help your student be rested and ready. 
  • Be prepared. Get ready for school day the night before and build in a little extra time in case there is traffic or other delays. 
  • Develop a backup plan. If something comes up, make plans for a family member, neighbor, or another parent to help you get your child to school. 
  • Limit out of school time. Try to plan medical appointments and extended trips when school isn’t in session. Check the TASD Calendar when setting dates. 
 
Attendance Information Sheet:
  • Students with 3 or more UNEXCUSED absences are scheduled for an attendance meeting.
  • Students with 6 or more unexcused absences are considered habitually truant
  • School Attendance Improvement Plans (S.A.I.P) are filled out at the attendance meetings and placed in student files.
  • If the student gets more UNEXCUSED absences after the School Attendance Improvement Plan is held, Compulsory School Attendance charge is filed at the District Magistrate.
  • Compulsory School Attendance is a SUMMARY (lowest level) offense. It carries up to a $300 dollar fine for the first offense or up to $750 dollars for subsequent offenses.
  • 15 yrs and over, the student is charged. Under 15 yrs old the parent is charged.
  • If a student continues to have UNEXCUSED absences after the S.A.I.P and District Magistrate hearing, it is up to CYS, if the case is sent to the courthouse for a Dependency Hearing.
  • Students have 3 school days to turn in an excuse before it turns into an unexcused absence. Compulsory School Attendance only applies to UNEXCUSED absences. Excuses can be submitted by Parent Square if Doctor’s notes are NOT required.
  • After any 10 absences, a doctor’s note is REQUIRED.

 

TASD’s Skyward Family Access can help to track how many days your child has missed.  Make sure your account is active, and your information is current.