Attendance Guidelines

 

Absences

Elementary students will be counted absent after 9:00 a.m.  State and district regulations require that the parent or guardian provide a note within 3 days of the student’s return which includes the student’s full name, the date(s), the reason for the absence and a parent/guardian signature.  A physician’s written excuse may be necessary if a student is absent for seven (7) consecutive days or more.  When your child is going to be absent, please call the Childsafe  line: 469-752-0500 (Select 1 for English, then press 3 for Childsafe). 

 

Doctor Appointment

If a student is temporarily absent due to an appointment with a health care professional and returns to school the same day of the appointment, the student will not be counted absent.   The student must present to the school office a statement signed by the health care professional verifying the appointment.

 

Tardies

Tardies are considered “parts of days” and are generally considered unexcused except for doctor/dentist appointments. A student will be considered tardy if they enter the building after 7:40. Students are expected to be in attendance 90% of school days.

 

Religious Holy Days

The district will excuse students from attending school for the purpose of observing religious holy days when it is a tenet of their faith that they must be absent from school during such time, and the parent or guardian submits a written request for the excused absence.

 

Absence Request

If you know ahead of time that your student will be absent, please contact the office for a Student Absence Form.  Unexcused absences will be allowed to make up work provided the absence was requested in advance. A student who is absent from school for any portion of a school day must provide a note that describes the reason for the absence.

 

The note must be signed by the student’s parent/guardian. If the student is 18 or older or is an emancipated minor, the note must be signed by the student.

 

Make-up Work

Make-up assignments or tests will be made available to students AFTER the absence and cannot be given ahead of time.  Make-up work may be requested on the second day of the student’s absence. 

 

Note for restricted activity

Parents are required to send a note for a student who will not be participating in physical education classes or recess due to an illness or injury.  Extended periods of non-participation may require a physician’s written excuse.

 

Notes from the Nurse

Please encourage good hand washing, proper diet, exercise, sleep and covering coughs to help your child have a healthy, happy school year.  By working together, we can reduce the spread of illness at Brinker. Students should be kept home for the following:

  • FEVER: Fever is often a sign of illness or infection. PISD policy is to send a child home if their temperature is 100 or above.  If your child has been sent home from school or is at home ill, please do not send them back to school until they have been fever free for 24 hours without the use of Tylenol or Ibuprofen/Motrin.  Please check your child’s temperature before school if they are complaining about not feeling well.  If they have a temperature of 100 or above, keep them at home.  Temperatures usually go up throughout the day.  Remember to wait 20-30 minutes after eating or drinking to take an oral temperature.  If you have medicated with Tylenol or Ibuprofen/Motrin within the last 4-6 hours, this can cause their fever to be reduced and thus would not be an accurate reading. 

  • VOMITING & DIARRHEA: A child should be kept home until symptoms have resolved for 24 hours and the child is able to eat and drink.  If they vomit at home in the morning before school, they should stay home.  If they vomit during the night, they should stay home the following day.

For more information on services provided as well as forms and policies for medications that can be kept in the clinic, please visit www.pisd.edu/health.