New to FSMS or need some info about attendance policies?  Here are a few tips!  

EARLY DISMISSAL  

If you need to pick up your child early, they MUST be signed out through the front office.  Please call or email the Attendance office the morning of the early dismissal with the following information:  

1. Child’s first and last name and grade  
2. Date and Time to be picked up (not the appointment time)  
3. Reason for leaving (please be specific since some reasons might not be excused)  
4. Name of person picking up your child  
5. Your contact Phone # and/or email address  

*Your name/signature will authorize the dismissal  

*Parent/guardian/person picking up child will need to provide a photo ID and sign out the child.  

*Latest time for early dismissal is 3:45 PM.  No student will be released after that time.    

ABSENCES:  

• If your student is absent, a note must be turned in/emailed within 5 school days of your child’s absence or it will be marked unexcused. The email is attendancefsms@fortbendisd.com. 
• A phone message cannot take the place of a note.  
• If a student is absent for 4 or more consecutive days due to illness, they must submit a doctor’s note to excuse the fourth and any subsequent days.  
• If a student is tardy and misses 20 or more minutes of class, the student will be counted absent  
• When sending a note or email to the attendance clerk, the note must be legible and include:  

1. Child’s first and last name  
2. Grade level  
3. Date(s) of absence   
4. Reason for the absence (not all reasons can be excused)  
5. Contact Phone # and/or email address  
6. Signature of Parent/Legal guardian  

PLANNED ABSENCES or RELIGIOUS HOLIDAYS: Please notify the Attendance office in advance to confirm if the absences can be excused and to discuss possible attendance-related consequences due to the absence.  

STUDENT 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.  

TRUANCY: If a student has 3 unexcused absences, full or partial day, in a 4-week period, a Truancy Warning Letter will be issued.  If there are 5 or more unexcused absences in a semester, an online Truancy Diversion Program will be required to be completed.  Additional unexcused absences may warrant further action from our truancy department.  

90% RULE: Student must be present for at least 90% of instructional days in order to retain course credit for the school year.  Please plan your absences carefully, especially if your student has a high school credit class.  

FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE ACCESS THE 
2023-2024 FBISD STUDENT PARENT HANDBOOK