For Parents

Compulsory Attendance

Attendance Responsibilities

Forming responsible habits regarding attendance and promptness is important. Parents are expected to support the goal of punctuality by having their children arrive on time, remain in school for a full day, and schedule appointments after school hours.

The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania requires children to attend school regularly until they are 18 years of age.

Excused Absences

Every student absence requires a written excuse note that must be submitted to the Attendance Office (KHSattendance@kcsd.org) in the form of:

  • Handwritten note from parent/guardian
  • Email from parent/guardian
  • Medical note from medical office

The absence note should contain the following information:

  • The student’s legal name
  • Student’s ID number
  • Grade level
  • The exact date(s) of the absence
  • The reason for the absence
  • Signature of parent or guardian

The excuse note must be submitted within three (3) days of the absence or the absence will be considered unlawful.

  • If an excused absence note is not received within a three (3) day period following the absence, the absence will become unexcused or unlawful.
  • For students under the age of 18, the absence will become unlawful.
  • For students 18 or older, the absence is unexcused.
  • An unlawful absence from school may result in disciplinary consequences, a truancy citation or a fine imposed by the District Judge.

Any student absent three (3) or more consecutive days due to illness must report to the Nurse’s Office prior to getting a readmission slip from the Attendance Office.

Examples of excused absences are as follows:

  • Illness of student
  • Death in the family or of a close friend
  • Legal business requiring the student’s presence
  • Court summons by warrant
  • Medical appointments
  • College visitations
  • Pre-approved family trip
  • Quarantine
  • The school buses’ inability to operate in inclement weather
  • Observance of religious holidays
  • Suspension from school

Students should visit their teacher’s Schoology page for work/assignments, and also contact their teachers to make up any missed work/assignments.

Unexcused Absences

Examples of absences that will not be excused are as follows:

  • Employment (excluding work release)
  • Oversleeping
  • Missing the bus
  • Babysitting
  • Staying home to do school work

Tardy to School

The school day starts at 7:40 a.m. and students are expected to be in their block 1 or 2 class by 7:40 a.m.

  • If a student is arriving late to school (after 7:40 a.m.), they must report to the Attendance Office (in the Main Office), sign in, and obtain an admit-to-class slip.
  • A written excuse note needs to be submitted to the Attendance Office by the end of the day the student arrives tardy to school (reference information to be included from the excused absences procedures above).
  • If a student is tardy to school and misses 3+ blocks (classes), they will be marked as absent for the day.
  • If a student accumulates excessive tardies to school, they may be referred to a Restorative Intervention.

Absence Notification Call

The District uses an automated call system to communicate with families about absenteeism daily.

  • Any student who is not present to school before 9:30 a.m. will automatically receive an absence notification call and/or email.
  • If you believe that you received the call or email in error, please contact the Attendance Office at 610-444-6638, or KHSattendance@kcsd.org or by replying to the email absence communication you received.

Planned Absences

For any planned absence of three (3) or more days, please complete the KCSD Extended Absence Form and submit to the Attendance Office no later than two (2) weeks prior to the absence.

  • Extended absences can be approved up to ten (10) school days.
  • The approved days will be considered excused.
  • Any missed days beyond the approved days will be considered unexcused.
  • Students are responsible for all assignments/assessments missed during the period of the extended absences.
  • No planned absence will be approved during state assessments or final examinations, unless approved by the Principal.

Early Dismissal

On the morning of the early dismissal, please provide a written note (email is acceptable, KHSattendance@kcsd.org) to the Attendance Office containing the following information:

  • Student’s full name
  • Date of early dismissal
  • Reason for early dismissal
  • Signature of parent or guardian
  • Grade level
  • A telephone number where the parent can be contacted for verification

An email notification will be sent to the student’s bluedemons email alerting them the dismissal is confirmed.

  1. If the dismissal results in the student missing 3+ blocks (classes), the student will be considered absent for the day.
  2. If a student has an early dismissal, but returns back to school, they must sign back into school at the Attendance Office.
  3. Athletic teams who have an early dismissal due to transportation do not need a parent note as these dismissals are arranged through the Athletic Office.

TCHS Attendance

  1. Students who are absent from both KHS and TCHS are responsible for providing absences notes to both schools.
  2. If a student attends TCHS, but is absent from KHS for 2+ blocks (classes), they will be considered absent for the day.
  3. Field trip forms or job shadow observation forms must be submitted to the KHS Attendance Office for approval at least 1 week in advance of the field trip/job shadow.

Truancy

Students who accumulate three (3) or more unlawful absences and/or who continue to be unlawfully absent will be subject to the following:

  • Referral to their school counselor and administrator
  • Participation in a Student Attendance Intervention Plan (SAIP)
  • A Notice of Violation (NOV)
  • Court appearance with a District Judge and possible fines (student and parent/guardian)

Class Attendance

Class attendance will be verified each period by the teacher in the electronic Gradebook attendance system. If it is determined that a student has cut a class, the teacher will submit the student’s name to the Assistant Principal who will determine if the absence is excused or unexcused and take appropriate action. Students are expected to arrive on time and attend all of their scheduled classes and study halls. Regular attendance is a requirement for successful completion of the course. Students must make arrangements with their teachers to make-up missed school work, assignments and/or assessments. See the “Missed/Make-up Work” section of the student handbook for more information on this topic.

Lateness to Class

  1. Students will be given four minutes to pass from one class to the next.
  2. Excessive lateness to class may result in a referral for Restorative Intervention.

Residency

A child shall be considered a resident of the Kennett Consolidated School District if either his/her parents or the legal guardians of his/her person reside in the district. If a child’s parents or legal guardians are divorced or separated, he/she shall be allowed to attend district schools if his/her custodial parent or legal guardian resides in the district and he/she resides with the custodial parent or legal guardian. A resident shall be defined as one having lodging and an actual physical presence in the district. The superintendent shall have the power to require proof of residence by a sworn statement and by other criteria.

“Residence shall mean the domicile or place where a student lives or has his/her home with the intention that it is his/her home permanently or indefinitely. It is the place to which, whenever he/she is absent, he/she has the intention of returning. Ownership of a property in and of itself does not constitute residency.”