Attendance/Early Check-Outs/Late Arrivals

The following summarizes Bearden Middle attendance information for the 2022-2023 school year:

Please view KCS Attendance Policies (then scroll to the bottom of page) for detailed attendance information and policies, including what is an excusable absence.

Early Check-Out Information 

Tardy/Late Arrival Information

• Any student arriving after 8:25 must be accompanied by a parent/guardian into the main office (at the Francis Rd side of the building) to be signed-in.

Frequently Asked Questions Regarding Bearden Middle Attendance

When is a student considered absent?

• Students must be at school a minimum of 3.5 hours to have their daily attendance listed as present for the day. 

Do I need to call Bearden Middle to let the school know that my student will be absent?

• You do not need to call the school to let us know that your student will be absent unless:
  • You have information that you would like to give school personnel.
  • If your student will be absent three or more consecutive days then do contact the attendance secretary.
  • (Please know that absences will not be excused by a phone call.)

When do I need to submit an absent note?

• A note should be given to the school each time a student misses any part of school. 
• Absent notes may be given to the school in advance of an absence or received within five days of the student's return to school.
• If you know the absence is not excused, then please write on the note that you are aware the absence is not excused.

How do I submit an absence note?

• ParentSquare: Respond to the ParentSquare absence notification.
• Email: Using the parent/guardian email address that the school has in Aspen to  deborah.chambliss@knoxschools.org
• Fax: Attention Attendance to 865-539-7851
• Paper Copy: Have your child turn in a note from the parent/guardian.
  • Students should give full day absent notes to their homeroom/1st period teacher. 
  • Students should give partial day absent notes (tardies and early dismissals) to the student office.

 If I have more than one student does each sibling need their own absence note?

• Each student needs their own absent note. 

How many parent absence notes can my student use each year?

• Students are allowed ten (10) days of parent notes per school year to excuse absences; however, parent notes do not excuse all absences. See KCS Attendance Policies (then scroll to bottom of page) for detailed information regarding excusable absences.

What information should I include in the parent absence note? 

• Parent notes should contain the following information:
  • Student's legal name
  • Date/s of absence/s
  • Reason for absence
  • If student is absent due to illness, you do not need to go into detail about illness unless you want the school to have the specific information. You may let us know that student was absent due to illness.
  • Signature of parent/guardian (for paper copies of absence notes)
  • Phone number of parent/guardian (for paper copies of absence notes)

What if my student forgets to turn in their absent note? 

• Following every absence, parents/guardians can help their student by making sure the absence note is in the student's backpack/binder upon returning to school and reminding them to turn in their note.
• If your student does not turn in their absence note after two (2) days, then contact deborah.chambliss@knoxschools.org and give the following information:
  • Your student has forgotten to turn in their absence note, and the student has the note with them.
  • The legal name of your student
  • Your name
  • Your relationship to student
  • Your return phone number (if calling the school)
  • The date/s of absence/s.

How do I make sure my student turned in their absent note? What if my student's absence note is not recorded in Aspen?

• Once an absence note has been turned in then parents/guardians should view their student's daily attendance, using Aspen Family Portal, four school days after the note has been given to the school. (Use the daily attendance tab, not classroom attendance tab found under the academics tab.)
• If your student's absence has not been excused after four school days, and you believe that it should be, then please contact deborah.chambliss@knoxschools.org 
• All absences are unexcused until they are changed to excused.
• The following are some of the attendance codes you may see when viewing your child's attendance.
  • A = Absent (unexcused unless has code E for excused)
  • T = Tardy (unexcused)
  • D = Early Dismissal (unexcused)
  • P = Parent Note
  • M = Medical Note
  • E = Excused

Does the school contact me if my student was marked absent?

• If we have your contact information, parents/guardians will receive an automated ParentSquare notification each day their student has an unexcused absence. Please opt-in to receive all school messages!
• Students with five (5) or more and ten (10) or more absences will receive correspondence from Knox County Schools and/or Bearden Middle School. 

What if I believe that my student's attendance was incorrectly marked?

• Please let the school know, so we can look into the situation and change your student's attendance if needed. You may contact the school by:
  • ParentSquare: Respond to the ParentSquare absence notification.
  • Email: Using the parent/guardian email address that the school has in Aspen to notify deborah.chambliss@knoxschools.org
  • Fax: Attention Attendance to 865-539-7851
  • Paper Copy: Have your child turn in a note from the parent/guardian to the Student Office.
  • Call Bearden Middle and take the attendance option.

Bearden Middle Attendance Secretary:

Deborah Chambliss

BMS Phone 865/539-7839 (Take attendance option)

deborah.chambliss@knoxschools.org 

Bearden Middle Social Worker:

Brooke Donohoe

brooke.donohoe@knoxschools.org