PS 139 Attendance Protocol

P.S. 139 School-Wide Attendance Policy

  1. All students are required to be with their teacher by 8:10 AM at the designated line-up location.

    • Pre-K students need to be in their classroom by 8:10 AM (arrival through red door on Rugby Road)

    • Kindergarten - Small Yard on Rugby Road (Exit D)

    • Grade 1: Big Yard on Argyle Road
    • Grade 2: Big Yard on Argyle Road
    • Grade 3: Big Yard on Argyle Road
    • Grade 4: Big Yard on Argyle Road
    • Grade 5: Big Yard on Argyle Road

  1. When a student is absent the teacher will contact the family during parent engagement time (Tuesday afternoons) and explain the school’s attendance policy as well as the importance of consistent attendance in terms of their child’s academic, social and emotional development.

  2. In order for an absence to be “excused” the school needs to receive either a phone call or a written message (medical note, email or fax) from the family. Please be advised that a call or message will not remove the absence from our school records, it will only be used to provide an official explanation for each absence.

  3. If any changes to attendance need to be made (ex. absent to late or “excused”), the teacher will submit this information to the main office the following day from when this information is received.

  4. When a student has been absent more than once in a short span (1-2 weeks) of time or if the teacher notices a pattern (ex. absent, late, or picked up early on the same day every week) then the teacher will notify the school counseling team and administration via email as soon as possible.

    • School counselors will review the student’s attendance and follow up with the family with a call and a letter summarizing the attendance policy and stating the number of absences and/or late days accumulated by the student to date.

    • Attendance letters are available in Arabic, Bengali, Haitian Creole, Spanish and Urdu.

  5. Once an attendance letter has been sent home, teachers and counselors are responsible for monitoring the student’s attendance and providing continued outreach to the family as needed. This outreach may include additional calls, letters and/or a parent meeting every time a student is subsequently absent or late to school.

  6. Any student who has accumulated 5-17 absences at any time during the school year will be considered “at-risk” for chronic absenteeism. Outreach will include having a meeting with the teacher, school counselor, and assistant principal.

  7. Once a student has been absent 18 or more times (10% of enrolled days) during the school year they will be considered chronically absent. Chronic absenteeism is a significant obstacle to a child’s development and will be seen as an indicator that the respective family may currently be unable to fulfill their responsibility of having their child consistently attend school and may require additional intervention.

  8. Any student who was chronically absent in a given school year will be considered “at-risk” the following year and receive proactive outreach as a preventative intervention measure.

  9. Any student who has been absent for 10 consecutive days will have a “407” form opened on their behalf which requires an official investigation by school staff until the child returns to school.