Lower School Attendance

The spirit of the Lower School's attendance policy is to promote the notion that every day at school, regardless of grade level, is a critical part of a student’s education and that what transpires in the classroom cannot be duplicated or captured simply by reading and completing an assignment or reviewing materials. It is therefore strongly encouraged that all students are punctual to school and attend every class every day.

The school realizes that on occasion, extraordinary circumstances arise and it becomes necessary for a student to miss a class or even a day of school. Parents can support both the student and the school by doing the following:

• Giving thoughtful consideration as to whether one’s child needs to miss school, and

• Initiating prompt communication with school personnel as to the time and date of the student’s absence.

When a student is absent due to illness, or is running late for any reason, parents must contact the Lower School by emailing LS_Attendance@webbschool.org before 8:45 a.m. on the day of the absence. The reason for the absence/tardy should be included in the communication.

Make-up work will be provided for students with excused absences by emailing a request to the teacher. Essential missed assignments for pre-arranged absences, vacations, and excused absences will be available upon the student's return to school. Make-up work for students with excessive or unexcused absences will be available at the school’s discretion.

Students with excessive absences (10 percent per grading period) risk forfeiting extracurricular school privileges. If absences become excessive (10 percent of a semester or school year), parent conferences are expected, and re-enrollment contracts may be withheld. An exception to this policy involves situations that require a medical leave of absence from school. Such an exception requires the approval of the Head of the Lower School and only after documentation from a physician(s) has been submitted to the school for review.

An unexcused absence is one that is deemed so by the Head of the Lower School. Typically, family trips and extended vacations fall into this category. No grade penalty will be assessed for missed work; the penalty involved is inherent in the absence from class. All work and tests will be made up on a schedule proposed by individual teachers upon the student’s return to school,

All students must report to the receptionist when they are tardy to school. A student is considered tardy if they arrive past 8:00 a.m. or 8:30 a.m. if on a Late-Start Wednesday. If tardy, parents must walk their child into the school and record the reason for the tardy in the student sign-in book.

Early dismissals are obtained by emailing the receptionist at LS_Attendance@webbschool.org , stating the time and reason for dismissal. Children having early dismissals should be signed out by a parent and picked up at the reception desk in the front lobby. Parents arriving for early dismissal pickup should wait for their child in the front reception area.

• Students may not be dismissed between 2:50 p.m. and 3:15 p.m.

• Students may not be dismissed early for extracurricular activities.

• Weekly or routine specialist appointments requiring early dismissal should be pre-approved by the Head of the Lower School.

Physical education dismissals may be obtained via an email from parents to the Lower School physical education teachers, classroom teachers, and the receptionist (LS_Attendance@webbschool.org ). Email notifications are good for one day only, and parents should repeat the notes if necessary.

Any student wearing a brace, bandage, or cast will not be allowed to attend physical education classes. A student with stitches will not be allowed to participate unless the wound is covered and a written note from the physician/nurse is provided. Any student having to miss more than three days must have a written excuse from a physician. Students missing physical education will be supervised by the receptionist in the school lobby.