~School Attendance and Chronic Absenteeism

 Daily school attendance is very important and has an impact on your Pepcat’s school success. In Tennessee, we classify
a student as chronically absent if she or he misses at least 10 percent (18 days) of the school year. Chronic absenteeism is not necessarily indicated by students missing school for large chunks of time but could also be the result of missing sporadically over the course of the year. As an example, a student who misses two days every month would be identified as chronically absent by the end of the year – that would add up to a month of lost learning time!

In accordance with the Tennessee Department of Education and Knox County Schools, Fountain City Elementary School monitors student attendance daily and we are required to intervene once a student has five (5) unexcused absences.  Interventions include the following:

• 5 unexcused days – Parent letter and phone call
• 10 unexcused days – Parent letter and meet with administrators at the school
• 15 unexcused days – Individual assessment with the school social worker
• 18 unexcused days – Truancy Review Board

It is important to know what makes an absence excused or unexcused.  Parents may write notes to excuse up to ten (10) absences for the school year.  Please refer to our student handbook or to KCS Board Policy J-120 for a list of allowable excused absences. There is no limit to the number of doctor notes excusing students who have been seen in their offices.  Students give the notes to their teachers upon returning from the absence.  Any absence without a note will be marked “unexcused”.

If you have questions about any of the above information, please call our school office at 689-1445 and we’ll be happy to speak with you.  

J-120 Attendance pdf