Attendance Procedures
Procedures and policies regarding student attendance
Attendance Form
Submit a student absence by using one of these three methods.
School Hours:
The school day is from 7:30 a.m. to 2:15 p.m. The warning bell will ring at 7:25 a.m. Students are tardy after 7:30 a.m. Four minutes are allowed between classes and students are expected to arrive at each class, be seated, and ready to begin on time.
The regular school day ends at 2:15 p.m. There are late activity buses on Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. The late activity period is from 2:15 - 4:30. There are two blocks of activity and the late buses leave around 4:40 p.m.
Absent from School:
- Call 703-846-8080 (Attendance Message Line), use our online attendance form or email ThoreauMSAttendance@fcps.edu on the morning of the absence.
- Provide student’s name, your relationship to the student, date/time, and reason for absence.
- If students will be absent for more than one day, a call or email must be made each day.
- Students should check with their Eagle Time Advisor when they return to school for missed work.
Pre- Arranged Absences:
- Call 703-846-8080 (Attendance Message Line) or email ThoreauMSAttendance@fcps.edu in advance of your child’s planned absence.
- Provide name, caller’s name/relationship to student, date/time, duration, and reason,
- Student should complete a Pre-Arranged Thoreau Absentee Sheet in advance so that they don’t fall behind on class work.
- It is not necessary to call in everyday for a pre-arranged absence.
Late to School:
- Students arriving late to school must report directly to the main office.
- An excused tardy is given for illness with a note, a prior phone call or email from a parent/guardian, a medical/dental appointment, late school bus, or family emergency
- An unexcused tardy is given for a missed bus, heavy traffic, oversleeping or a reason which is unconfirmed by parent/guardian.
Early Release from School:
- When it is necessary for a student to leave school before regular dismissal time, parents should send a signed note or send an email to ThoreauMSAttendance@fcps.edu designating the desired time of departure.
- The student should bring his/her note to the office when he/she arrives at school in the morning or parents should send an email no later than 10 AM the day of the early release. The student will receive a check-out pass for the designated pick-up time, will be excused from class, and will wait for pick-up in the main office.
- Parents must come into the main office to sign out their child. Students must check back in at the main office upon their return.
- Students who leave school without checking out properly will be marked “unexcused” and may face disciplinary action.
Tardy to Class:
- Students are to be in their classrooms/seats when the bell rings to begin the class period. Excessive tardiness may result in a detention with the teacher. Habitual tardiness may result in other disciplinary action.
- Remember, students must make contact with all teachers for any classes missed.
- Regularly check each course’s FCPS-24/7-Learning Blackboard site or Google Classroom.
Attendance Policies
- FCPS regulation requires a referral of a student to the attendance officer when a student accumulates five full-day unexcused absences. Any further unexcused absences require intervention.
- A letter will be sent home if a student is absent 10 or more days whether excused or unexcused. Medical documentation may be required for future absences.
- A letter will be sent home every 5 tardies (excused or unexcused).
- Subsequent letters will be sent home in increments of 5 continued morning tardies.