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General Information:
- The Attendance Office is located in the main foyer of DMS.
- The hours of operation for the attendance office are from 8:00 AM until 3:30 PM. The final time for a student to be picked up early is 3:30 PM. Please plan picking up your student early accordingly.
- In middle and high schools, attendance is counted by period, not as a full/half day as in elementary schools.
Attendance Notes:
- No attendance notes should ever be given to the student’s teacher. Any attendance note must be turned in to the attendance office or emailed to attendanceDMS@fortbendisd.gov.
- All attendance notes must contain the following information: the student’s name (first and last names), his/her grade level, the date(s) of his/her absence, the reason for the absence, and the signature, phone number and email of the parent/guardian (except for notes written by medical professionals).
- A physical note, e-mail, or fax from the parent/guardian or medical professional is required to be turned in to the attendance office 5 business days from the time that the student returns to school. If a note is not received during this time frame, then the absences will be unexcused per FBISD policy. This applies to students that miss less than 5 consecutive school days.
- If a student is absent for more than 3 consecutive school days, then a note from a medical professional, or facility, is required upon the day the student returns to school. If this type of note is not received at this time, then the absences will be unexcused. The medical professional/facility may fax the note or the student can remember to turn it in to the attendance office. All notes, medical or otherwise (whether turned in, e-mailed, or faxed) are always kept completely confidential.
- A medical note signed by a medical professional is required if the student is checked out or in for medical visits.
- FBISD strictly adheres to truancy policies and enforcement; therefore, it is essential that attendance notes are submitted to the attendance office within the appropriate time frame. Please provide a specific reason for absences.
- IF A STUDENT IS MISTAKENLY MARKED ABSENT? If you receive a call/email that your child was marked absent during the day, but you know they were there, please contact the teacher for that period and ask them to notify me if a correction needs to be made.
- Please consult the following link for further district attendance policies and information in the Student Handbook. Refer to pages 10-15.
Student Check-In Procedures:
- If a student arrives late to school, he/she must check-in at the attendance office in order to receive a pass to class.
- The student should have a note from a parent/guardian or medical professional concerning why he/she is late for school.
- If a note is not provided, then the student will receive a tardy or unexcused absence for the periods missed. Prior to 9:15, the student will be counted tardy; arriving anytime afterwards, the student will be unexcused for the periods missed.
Student Sign-Out Procedures:
- The student will not be called down to the attendance office prior to the parent/guardian’s, or approved emergency contact’s arrival.
- The parent/guardian, or approved emergency contact (as listed in Skyward), must provide a valid identification each time the student is checked out of school (even if the identification is already in “the system”). This action is performed in order to ensure the student’s safety.
- The latest time that a student may be checked out early is 3:30 PM. Please arrive earlier, however, in anticipation of a longer wait time at the end of the school day.