Where is the Attendance Clerk located?

The Attendance Clerk is located in the Main Front Office.

Can I send someone that is not listed on the emergency contact list to pick up my child?

Students will only be released to their legal parent/guardian or someone listed on their school documents. State issued identification is required from anyone signing a student out and the student must be signed out prior to leaving the school grounds. It is against our school policy to release a student via telephone or email.

How late can I pick up my child?

Students can be signed out before 2:15pm. Students can be picked up in the car rider line after 2:15pm.

What do I need to bring with me to sign my child out of school?

A state issued ID and the most recent custody paperwork, if needed.

When and where can I turn in my request to be released from school early?

Request to give permission for a student to leave early needs to be turned into the front office to the attendance clerk before 1st period is over to allow time for the request to be verified.

Do I need to sign out if the nurse sends me home?

Yes. If you are leaving campus you will need to sign out.

How can I check my attendance?

Students can check their attendance through PowerSchool.

Parents can check their child's attendance through the Parent Portal.

If I emailed my child's teacher to let them know they will be absent, do I still need to send in an excuse?

Yes, a written note is required every time your child is absent from school.

How many parent notes can I turn in?

A maximum of ten (10) days of cumulative absence verified by parent notes will be permitted during a school year. All absences beyond the eleventh day will require a physician's note.

What happens after I have submitted information regarding my student’s absence?

Once information has been received by the school about a student’s absence, the school will update the attendance record to document the information. Please contact the school if you do not see the absence updated in Parent Portal after 48 hours.

When am I considered truant?

If you have 3 consecutive absences or 5 total absences, then you are considered truant.

How late can a student arrive at school and still get credit for being in school the whole day?

In elementary/intermediate school, a student who arrives after 7:30am and through 10:59am is considered Tardy. If a student arrives after 10:59am, you will be marked absent for the entire day.

In the same way, a student who leaves before 10:59am and does not return will be considered absent for the entire day.

When providing a doctor's note:

Doctor's notes are considered by the state to be excused absences. If we receive documentation, we can adjust the student’s attendance so that the absence will not go against them. Doctor notes need to be submitted to the attendance office within 3 days of the student returning to school.

It is important that all absent dates are listed on the documentation because we can only use the dates that are provided on the note. If the student misses a day of school because he/she is sick but doesn’t see a doctor until the next day, you can ask the doctor to provide all previous, current & future absent dates on the note. Please do not alter an excuse to include additional days.

If a doctor's note states that a student may be excused from school for 5 days but the student returns on the 3rd day, he/she cannot then stay home for the 4th & 5th days. Once a student returns to school, the doctor's note is canceled, and a new note will be needed for any further excused absences (unless the doctor specifically explains why a student might need to come to school and then be out again).

The doctor's note can be dropped off or emailed to us in the attendance office. You may provide a copy of the note to the nurses’ office or athletics if you believe it’s needed, but we need to keep a copy in attendance in order to excuse the absence. Teachers do not need a copy unless you want them to have it.

Is a family trip considered an excused absence?

Family trips are not automatically considered excused absences. A parent or guardian would need to submit a request to the school principal in writing at least 10 days in advance. The principal will review requests on a case-by-case basis and may grant approval if a student is not on track to be chronically absent and is performing satisfactorily academically. Prior school year attendance will also be reviewed. The student must not have any unexcused absences prior to the requested trip.

What is considered an unexcused absence?

An unexcused absence refers to absences that keep a student away from school AND is not excused for the reasons outlined as excused absences. Examples of unexcused absences include, but are not limited to, vacation, personal travel, including travel sports, missing the bus, child care, and truancy.

DID YOU KNOW?

Each student's report card includes the total number of absences and tardy days. In addition, phone calls are made at 11:00 a.m. to inform parents if their child was absent from school that day. If you receive a phone call and your child is present, please contact the school immediately.

Waccamaw Intermediate School

Attendance

Frequently Asked Questions

Student Schedule

Attendance For Truancy Intervention Purpose