PARENTS – PLEASE READ!!!!  VERY, VERY IMPORTANT!!!!

Welcome to Elkhart Middle School.  We are very happy to have your child/children here and are excited about the new school year.  Attendance for all classes every day is vital to your child’s academic success.

What you need to know about attendance:

1. We take attendance EVERY class (7 times a day).   ANY class missed during the day is an absence and counts toward your child’s total absence count for the year.  Please refrain from checking your child out early to go home. When elementary/intermediate programs happen and students are allowed to leave those campuses for the day, please refrain from coming to get your middle school child.  They will be counted absent for any class missed and will miss important instruction time with their teachers.
2. School begins at 8:00. Arrival after 8:00 is a tardy.  Arrival after 8:15 is an absence for 1^st  A first period absence is counted as an absence in your child’s attendance count for the year and when considering truancy.  Please be on time for your child’s sake. 
3. An absence without a note is considered unexcused. Unexcused absences can put you on the path to truancy charges being filed.  Please remember this.
4. Parent notes are limited to 3 parent notes per semester. Each parent note is limited to 2 consecutive days of absences.  These are excused absences.  They also count in the yearly student absence count.  An excused absence is still an absence.
5. A doctor note for an all-day absence is excused, but is still an absence and will count toward the student’s absences for the school year.
6. A doctor note for a partial day is excused and is NOT an absence. Doctor appointments can be morning or afternoon, but your child MUST attend school part of the day.
7. Funeral note is excused, but is still an absence and is limited to 3 days.
8. Unexcused absences can lead to academic failure and can lead to truancy charges. Please remember to always send a note with your child when he/she returns to school. 

Doctor notes can be faxed to us.  Our fax # is 903-764-8288.  I will also accept parent notes via email.  My email address is glewis@elkhartisd.org.

Attendance/Registrar