We believe the goal of exemplary attendance is an important part of our responsibility to assure that every student is fully engaged in the educational program and is learning habits that will support life long success.
**Please email attendance notes or questions to: [email protected].
MHS Attendance Secretary: [email protected]
Attendance Reminders
- All students arriving to the building after 7:30am must enter through the front door and must check in with the Attendance Office.
- Students who do not report to Block 1 by the 7:30 late bell will be sent to the Attendance Office for a late pass.
- Excuse notes should be submitted to the Attendance Office when reporting to school late. Emails to [email protected] will also be accepted.
- Students who report late to school without a note will be issued an unexcused tardy
- Sleeping in, car trouble, defrosting/cleaning off car, and traffic are not normally excused reasons. Extenuating circumstances will be reviewed by administration
- Repeated tardiness will result in disciplinary consequences, outlined below:
- Students who arrive late to school or leave early must always check-in/check-out with the Attendance Office.
- Students who leave school without officially checking out with Attendance Office or Health Room will be issued a class cut.
- Students are not permitted to leave school property during the school day without parent and school authorization.
- Attendance notes should be submitted as soon as possible to code an absence as excused and ensure a student will be permitted to make-up missing assignments.
- Vacations and college visits should be approved in advance. See Attendance Office to pick up vacation/college visit approval form.
- Parents notes for are typically limited to a maximum of 10 per year. Administration will review extenuating circumstances.
- Doctor and other appointment documentation is preferred when possible and will help to reserve parent notes.
The following actions
will be taken for an unexcused late arrival to school:
- 1 - 4 Tardy Arrivals: Lunch detention will be assigned on the day of tardy arrival
- 5+ Tardy Arrivals: Lunch detention will be assigned on the day of tardy arrival, student administrator will
be notified, and parent/guardian may be contacted to discuss a plan for timely attendance to school.
- Students are given the opportunity to make up the missed lunch detention on the following day.
- Failure to attend make-up detention will result in 30 minutes of after-school detention.
One Call Now Attendance
FCPS is using One Call Now for attendance notifications. The intent of the messages are to communicate with families if their child has been marked absent for one or more periods of the school day. This text is automated; therefore, it is possible that if a child enters school later in the day, then the text could occur in error. This text will be sent to the person(s) who are noted as the guardians for your child. Contact the front office if you feel you have received a text in error, or email the attendance office at [email protected].
Unexcused Absences From School:
- More than 5 in a term – grade of "F" for the term.
- More than 10 per semester – grade of "F" and possible loss of all credit.
- An absence can be a full day or a partial day. A student is considered absent from a class when they miss 45 minutes or more of the class.
- For additional attendance details, click here for FCPS Regulation 400-98.
Procedures for Excused Absences:
- Parents are requested to send an email to [email protected] or call the Main Office at 227-203-3600 in the morning when a student will be absent. If a call or email is not received, the school will attempt to verify the absence.
- Parents may also use attendance form: Attendance Notes Form.doc for students to submit to the front office upon return to MHS.
- Regardless of any telephone and email contact, students must return to school with a note written by a parent or guardian (or email) that includes: 1) student’s name, b) date(s) of absence, c) reason for absence, and d) parent signature and daytime phone number.
- If there is written verification that a medical professional saw the student in connection with the absence, the parent is encouraged to initial it and submit it with or instead of a parent’s note.
- If a parent note, email or phone call is not submitted within two school days following an absence, the absence is unexcused.
College Visits
- Absences for college visits may be excused with prior administrative approval.
- Visits by students to prospective colleges will be excused up to 4 days per year.
- College visits must be arranged in advance and verification from the college is required for a lawful absence.
- See form here: College Visit Request Form