5.4 Reporting Student Absences
Parents/guardians/caregivers are responsible for notifying the school when a student will be absent, arrive late, or leave school before the end of the instructional day.
Schools shall establish processes to receive absence notifications and communicate these processes to parents/guardians/caregivers.
5.5 Safe Arrival Attendance Verification
Schools shall implement safe arrival processes in accordance with Ministry and Board requirements.
Formal attendance shall be taken and recorded in accordance with applicable Ministry enrolment register requirements and Board processes. Student Attendance Confirmation throughout the instructional day shall be completed in accordance with section 5.X of this procedure.
Principals shall establish school-based processes to ensure attendance information is accurately recorded and maintained.
5.6 Unexplained Absences
Schools shall establish procedures for the timely follow-up of unexplained absences.
Where a student is absent and the absence has not been reported or verified, reasonable efforts shall be made to contact the parent/guardian/caregiver to verify the student's absence as soon as reasonably possible. Where contact cannot be established, the school shall follow established escalation and emergency contact processes in accordance with Board and school safe arrival protocols.
Schools shall maintain records of follow-up activities related to unexplained absences.
5.7 Student Presence Verification
In addition to Safe Arrival attendance verification, schools shall implement Student Presence Verification practices to ensure students are accounted for throughout the instructional day.
Student presence shall be intentionally verified at a minimum:
- At the beginning of each instructional period;
- following recesses, lunch periods, and nutrition breaks;
- immediately following transitions between learning spaces or locations, including movement between classes on a rotary schedule and transitions between portables and the school building;
- following outdoor learning activities on or off school property, including field trips;
- following assemblies and other school events occurring during the instructional day; and
- following planned or unplanned changes in student location or learning environment where student
- presence must be reconfirmed.
5.8 Documentation of Student Presence Verification
Student Attendance Confirmation shall be documented using a Board-approved method or documentation process.
Educators shall record Student Attendance Confirmation at the required verification points and report the information to the school office, using the Board-approved process determined by the principal/designate, as soon as reasonably possible.
Principals shall ensure records are maintained and available to demonstrate compliance with Board and Ministry requirements.
5.9 Attendance/Presence Discrepancies
Where a discrepancy regarding a student's attendance, presence, or whereabouts is identified, the employee shall:
- re-confirm attendance or student presence records;
- review available information that may explain the discrepancy; and
- immediately notify the principal/designate and school office where the discrepancy cannot be resolved
5.10 Students Who Cannot Be Accounted For
Where a student's whereabouts cannot be confirmed, the principal/designate shall immediately initiate school procedures to locate the student.
The school office shall review available information to determine whether the student is participating in another authorized activity or program.
Parents/guardians/caregivers shall be notified as soon as reasonably possible when a student's whereabouts cannot be confirmed.
Where the student's whereabouts remain unconfirmed, the school shall initiate applicable missing student response protocols and related emergency procedures in alignment with Board requirements and the Provincial Model for a Local Police/School Board Protocol.
