Attendance
In today's fast-paced world, education plays a pivotal role in shaping the future of individuals. Attending school regularly is a fundamental aspect of this educational journey. Every day missed represents a lost opportunity for learning, growth, and development. ACS's #MakeSchoolCount movement emphasizes the critical role of attendance in maximizing the educational experience.
- Making School Count
- Request for Excused Absence In Advance
- Submitting Parent Notes & Dr. Excuses
- Important Attendance & Truancy Info
Making School Count
Our attendance initiative – #MakeSchoolCount – is intended to emphasize the impact school attendance can have on a student’s academic success starting in kindergarten and continuing through high school. Even as children grow older and more independent, families play a key role in making sure students get to school safely every day and understand why attendance is so important for success in school and in life.
We realize some absences are unavoidable due to health problems or other circumstances. But, we also know that when students miss too much school— regardless of the reason – it can cause them to fall behind academically. Your student is less likely to succeed if he or she is chronically absent—which means missing 18 or more days over the course of an entire school year. That's just two days per month!
Research shows:
- Students chronically absent in kindergarten and 1st grade are much less likely to read at grade level by the end of 3rd grade.
- By 6th grade, chronic absence is a proven early warning sign for students at risk for dropping out of school.
- By 9th grade, good attendance can predict graduation rates even better than 8th grade test scores.
- Absences can add up quickly. A student is chronically absent if he or she misses just two days every month!!
Clearly going to school regularly matters!
We don’t want your student to fall behind in school and get discouraged. Please ensure that your student attends school every day and arrives on time. Here are a few practical tips to help support regular attendance:
•Make sure your student keeps a regular bedtime and establishes a morning routine.
•Lay out clothes and pack backpacks the night before.
•Ensure your student goes to school every day unless he/she is truly sick.
•Avoid scheduling vacations or regular doctor’s appointments when school is in session.
•Talk to teachers and counselors for advice if your student feels anxious about going to school.
•Develop back-up plans for getting to school if something comes up. Call on a family member, neighbor, or another parent to take your student to school.
Source: AttendanceWorks
Request for Excused Absence In Advance
Request for Excused Absence in Advance
Families seeking pre-approved absences should contact the school attendance clerk for a Request for Excused Absence in Advance form to request pre-approved absences.
- The form is available from the school attendance clerk or school principal.
- The form should be completed and submitted at least (3) three school days before the requested absence(s) whenever possible.
- Yearly vacations do not qualify for pre-approval. This aligns with the State of Alabama attendance manual guidelines.
- Submitted forms do not guarantee approval; principal decision only.
- Parents and students are responsible for all missed work, and teachers have the authority to determine deadlines for missed work,
- The principal will not pre-approve any days if the requested days and current absences for the student will equal or exceed eighteen (18) absences for the academic year.
- Principals may not approve the request for your child to miss school due to low grades, or poor attendance for the current or past academic year.
- If the request is approved, any remaining parent notes will be exhausted first on the requested absences. Only when all parent notes have been exhausted will additional days be excused by the principal.
- Principals will collaborate with other system administrators when the request involves siblings in different schools to assure consistency. It is possible that one sibling may pass all criteria for approval while another may not.
- Duplicate requests in the same year or subsequent year are not guaranteed for approval.
- If the request is not approved, the request and reason for the decision are discussed with the requesting parent and notated in the student’s attendance record.
2026-2027 REQUEST FOR EXCUSED ABSENCE IN ADVANCE
Submitting Parent Notes & Dr. Excuses
Parents and guardians can now submit absence excuses online using the QR code or ONLINE PARENT NOTES button.
Please remember:
- Parent notes must be submitted within 3 days of the student’s return to school.
- All excuses must be approved by school staff before they are recorded.
- Photos of doctor’s notes or other documentation may be uploaded directly through the online form.
- According to Alexander City Schools policy, students may use up to 8 parent-written notes per year to excuse absences.
Thank you for helping us maintain accurate and timely attendance records!
Important Attendance & Truancy Info
Important Attendance & Truancy Info
Every student (K-12) is allowed five (8) days per school year to use a parent note to excuse an absence. For example, if your child is absent on Monday and Tuesday, that will count as parent note 1 & 2 for the school year. Once you have used all the allowed parent notes, an absence can only be excused with medical or legal documentation.
Upon a student’s return to school following an absence, the parent(s)/guardian(s) has three (3) school days to provide a parent note, legal, or medical excuse to have the absence excused. After the three (3) school day period, if no note/excuse is received, the absence will remain unexcused. Student excuses can be turned in online using QR Code or link.
When students have unexcused absences, the following will occur:
- First unexcused absence: A notice is sent either by email or letter. May be sent with the student or mailed.
- Second unexcused absence: A notice is sent either by email or letter. May be sent with the student or mailed.
- Third unexcused absence: A phone call to remind parent(s)/guardian(s) of the truancy policy is attempted or made. A conference may be required.
- Fourth unexcused absence: A notice is sent either by email or mail. May be sent home with the student.
- Fifth unexcused absence: A notice of a CHINS meeting will be sent, and the parent(s)/guardian(s) must attend an Early Warning Truancy Prevention Program provided by the Director of Student Services. May be sent home with the student. Failure to appear at the Early Warning Program may result in the filing of a complaint/petition against the parent under Code of Ala. 1975, 16-28-12
- Sixth unexcused absence: A notice is emailed or mailed to the parent(s)/guardian(s) warning that the next step is criminal prosecution, which could result in punishment by a fine, time in jail, or a sentence to hard labor for the county. May be sent home with the student.
- Seventh unexcused absence: A truancy complaint/petition against the child and/or parent(s)/guardian(s) will be filed with the Tallapoosa County Juvenile Court.