Attendance Procedures

Absent, Late Arrival, Early Checkout, or Change in Transportation

Absence or Late Arrival Notification

If your child will be absent from school or arriving late, please notify us by using one of the methods below:

Attendance Reporting

Report attendance using one of the methods below.

When reporting a student's absence, please be specific about why your student will not attend school today.  

  • If reporting an ill student, include symptoms, especially if they have a fever, nausea, vomiting, sore throat, and/or cough. If your student has a diagnosis from a healthcare provider, please include that information.

Please let us know by 8:45 a.m. on the day that your child will be absent or arriving late. We will communicate quickly with parents or guardians when a student does not come to school as expected. 

Arrival to School

Fox Mill will supervise students starting at 8:30 a.m. To keep our students safe, walkers and car riders should arrive no earlier than 8:30 a.m. Students in Kindergarten – Grade 3 will meet in the the gym and students in Grades 4-6 will meet on the patio beginning at 8:30 a.m. Students will proceed to their classes beginning at 8:35 a.m. School begins at 8:45 a.m.

Student Student Arrival

A child coming to school after 8:45 a.m. should report to the office with a parent where he/she will receive a late pass in order to enter the classroom. Students who are repeatedly tardy in a school year will have a letter placed in their school file. If the student continues to be tardy a meeting with the principal, school counselor, student, and parent will be held to discuss the situation.

Early Checkout/Release of Student

If a child must leave early, parents are requested to send a note in advance and must sign the child out in the office at the appropriate time. The note should specify the name of the adult picking up the child if it is not the parent. To protect instructional time, students will not be called to the office until a parent arrives at school to pick them up. Please allow sufficient time for your child to get to the office and for you to arrive on time to your scheduled appointment.

Students cannot be released between 3:00-3:30 p.m. when we are preparing for general dismissal. If you arrive during this time, you will be asked to wait in the lobby until classes are dismissed.

We will not release any child to any adult other than the parent/guardian or persons listed on the emergency care form. Students may be released to either parent unless prohibited by a court order. If restricted custody has been legally established, a parent must furnish a copy of the custody order to be kept on file in the school office.

Changes in Transportation

Changes in transportation called into the office during the day result in confusion for children, which impacts their safety. If you must make changes to your child’s transportation, do so by sending a note to the teacher with your child that morning. If your child is going to another child’s house, both children must have a note from their parent. Only emergency changes will be accepted by phone. Parents requesting changes to transportation by phone for their child are asked to call the office before 3 p.m.

Virginia State Law Regarding Absences

Virginia State law requires that each student who is absent from school must be reported each time by a responsible person. An excused absence is one for which parents/guardians have prior knowledge, consent, and a legitimate reason. Legitimate reasons include: illness of the student, death in the family, and observance of a religious holiday. Absences for family and student vacations are unexcused.

According to state law, the following actions need to be taken: 

  • 5 Unexcused days - parent notification via letter and plan required
  • 6 Unexcused days - (one additional day) - conference required
  • 7 Unexcused days - attendance officer involved, possible court action

Dental and Medical Appointments

Dental and medical appointments are excused; however, we ask that such appointments be kept to a minimum during the instructional day. If a child must leave early for a medical or dental appointment, parents are requested to send a note in advance and must sign the child out in the office at the appropriate time. To protect instructional time, students will not be called to the office until a parent arrives at school to pick them up. Please allow sufficient time for your child to get to the office in order for you to arrive on time to your scheduled appointment.

Unexcused Absence

Absences for family and student vacations are unexcused. Students are responsible for completing any missed assignments. Teachers will provide the student and parent or guardian with missed work, but are not obligated to provide assignments prior to family or student vacations.