Attendance

C.D. Hylton High School Attendance

Please select the appropriate item below for procedures on communicating and providing documentation for absences, tardies, and early dismissals.

Absences

Tardies

Email HSHS-Attendance@pwcs.edu. Please include the following:

  • Reference the word TARDY in the subject line of your email message
  • Student's name
  • Contact telephone numbers

 Tardy Policy for Students

The goal at C.D. Hylton High School  is to maximize instructional time by reducing the amount of time out of class due to excessive tardies. Student drivers are also held to the same tardy standards as bus riders and parent drop-offs. This tardy policy applies to unexcused tardies to school and to class. Regulations regarding tardies for student drivers can be found in the Parking Permit Application.

Early Dismissal

In at least an hour before the early dismissal, email HSHS-Attendance@pwcs.edu. Please include the following:

  • Reference the word EARLY DISMISSAL in the subject line of your email message
  • Student's name
  • Reason for early dismissal
  • Requested time of early dismissal
  • Contact telephone numbers

Attendance Policy

Under Virginia law, students are responsible for attending school every day that school is in session. Regulation 724-1, “Attendance, Absences, Excuses, and Tardies,” contains the specific information related to student attendance as summarized here.

Absences, tardies, and/or early dismissals must have documented approval from a parent and/or school personnel. The process for this documentation is outlined above. Classwork for excused absences may be made up according to Regulation 724-1. The student or parent is responsible for obtaining assignments. Students arriving late to school should follow the school’s procedures for checking in.

Types of Excused Absences

  • Students experiencing mental and/or behavioral health issues, disorder, or disturbances in accordance with established school guidelines provided by the VDOE.
  • Personal illness of the student.
  • Medical and dental examination and/or treatment of the student when such appointments cannot be scheduled outside school hours.
  • Student participation in school-sponsored activities taking place during school hours.
  • With prior approval of the principal, seniors may be excused for college admission visitations or to apply for post-graduation jobs.
  • Death in the student’s immediate family or household.
  • Required court appearance.
  • Observation of a religious holiday (students should not be deprived of any award or of eligibility or opportunity to compete for any award or of the right to take an alternative test or examination, due to such absence).
  • Emergency conditions in the student’s home which require special help from the student in caring for the sick or injured; however, repeated use of this excuse or requests for absences for more than five consecutive days must be referred to the Student Services Department for approval.
  • Per Regulation 724-1, preapproved absences are discouraged and will only be granted on a case-by-case basis by the principal or designee. Family trips are encouraged to be scheduled during school holidays and over summer break. Absences for family trips will not be excused unless accompanied by extraordinary circumstances. A determination of whether extraordinary circumstances exist lies at the discretion of the principal, in collaboration with the Student Health and Wellness Department. Such factors as the reason for the absence, the educational value of the proposed experience, and the impact of the absence on the student’s academic progress will be given consideration in determining whether a prearranged absence is approved or disapproved.
  • Preapproved absence for certain reasons pertaining to a parent’s military deployment.
  • Any student who is a member of a state-recognized or federally recognized tribal nation that is headquartered in the Commonwealth and who is absent from school to attend such tribal nation’s pow wow gathering shall be granted one excused absence per academic year, provided that the student’s parent provides advance notice to the student’s school.
  • Reasons of extenuating circumstances as judged by the principal.
  • Students experiencing homelessness who are awaiting transportation arrangements.
  • Parents/guardians retain the option of not permitting their child to attend school in circumstances when, in the judgment of the parent/guardian, the roads or walkways in their neighborhood are too hazardous to use.
  • Engaging in a civic event (middle and high school students only).
  • Out-of-school suspension. When a school administrator places a student on out-of-school suspension, the absence from school shall be classified as excused.

Types of Unexcused Absences

  • All-day truancy.
  • Class truancy.
  • Missing a ride, or a bus, or car trouble.
  • A virtual-only student who does not sign in for live instruction for the class or school day using Canvas.
  • A virtual-only student who has not requested and been approved by the teacher and/or administrator for alternate attendance/participation procedure due to unique circumstances and does not turn on the camera or cannot be seen by the teacher during instruction and learning activities for the class or school day.
  • Failure to produce an appropriate explanation or requested documentation for an absence.
  • Prearranged absences without prior approval of the school principal.

Per Virginia Code, the VDOE, and PWCS Regulation 724-1, “Attendance, Absences, Excuses, and Tardies,” schools will convene attendance intervention meetings and develop attendance improvement plans for students who accumulate five or more unexcused absences. Parents may be required to participate in attendance intervention meetings. Parents of severely truant students may be subject to legal action for not complying with compulsory attendance laws.