Edwins Elementary School believes that regular attendance provides students the opportunity to master required skills at each grade level. Many integral activities, including class discussions, group experiences, field trips, guest speakers, and direct instruction, cannot be simulated or replicated with makeup work. When you miss school, you miss out.

Please see the OCSD Pupil Progress Plan district information about attendance.

We understand students may need to be absent occasionally for medical, family, or emergency reasons. See the following information for attendance procedures.

• Absence 1-8 in any given semester can be excused by a parent or doctor’s note within 5 days of the student returning to school.

• Absence 9-15 can only be excused by a note from a medical professional or evidence of other necessary absence or for a religious holiday.

• Any absence beyond the 15th in any semester cannot be excused and no makeup work will be allowed until the case has been reviewed. An Attendance Committee meeting will be scheduled with the parents

Attendance Communication – to make sure you are aware of your child’s absences we will communicate with you in the following ways:

• Parents will be notified by a robocall that will go out for every absence.

• A letter will be sent home after the 5th but before the 8th absence (excused or unexcused) per semester.

• A letter will be sent home after the 9th absence (excused or unexcused) per semester.

• After the 15th absence in a semester you will be contacted by the school to set up an attendance conference.

Excused vs unexcused – Only excused absences are eligible for make-up work.

Students will be provided 5 school days to complete assignments following an excused absence; the 5-day period may be extended for the make-up work if the individual situation warrants that action.

During multi-day excused absences, parents may request work and the teacher and principal may provide work within 24 hours to promote and maintain academic progress.

Parent/guardian must accompany the child to the office when arriving after 8:30 am to sign them in. For the safety of all students, ONLY adults designated by the enrolling parent will be allowed to check out students with photo identification. Dismissal is a critical time for all schools. Office "traffic" must be kept to a minimum for the safety of all students. All check-outs MUST occur before 2:30 pm.

(FL statutes: 984.03 F.S., 984.151 F.S., 1003.26 F.S.) The Superintendent may file a truancy petition for the following situations:

• Five (5) unexcused absences, or absences for which the reasons are unknown, within a calendar month, or:

• Ten (10) unexcused absences, or absences for which the reasons are unknown within a ninety (90) calendar day period or:

• More than fifteen (15) unexcused absences in a ninety (90) calendar day period.

Additionally, after the fifteenth (15th) absence per semester, no make-up work will be allowed for that class. An attendance expectation agreement may be initiated, outlining the consequences of non-attendance.

For a complete listing of truancy procedures, please see the OCSD Pupil Progress Plan.