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Dear Parents,

Attendance at school is an important part of student success and achievement. A pattern of absences may put a student at risk of not achieving the Academic Knowledge and Skills (AKS) for their grade level and courses. Certain absences are considered to be excused according to state guidelines. Excused absences include:

• Personal illness or attendance in school endangering a student’s health or the health of others
• A serious illness or death in a student’s immediate family requiring absence from school
• A court order or an order by a governmental agency, including pre-induction physical examination for service in the armed forces, mandating absence from school
• Observing religious holidays, necessitating absence from school.
• Conditions making attendance impossible or hazardous to student health or safety
• Serving as a page in the Georgia General Assembly.

Please remember that if your student is absent from school, you need to send a note to the school stating the reason for his/her absence. Should the reason be one noted above, your child’s absence will be marked excused.

A new state truancy law (O.C.G.A. Section 20-2-690.2) defines truant as “any child subject to compulsory school attendance who during the school calendar year has more than 5 days of unexcused absences.” This same state law also ties attendance to a student’s driving privileges.

It is important for parents to be aware of attendance requirements. Please read Gwinnett County Public Schools’ Student/Parent Handbook, which outlines attendance expectations. In addition, our teachers and school leadership will communicate with you regularly on school attendance issues.

Thank you for your support of your student’s academic achievement. Your child’s regular attendance at school makes a difference!

Sincerely,

Principal

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