Virginia law provides that all children of compulsory attendance age are expected to attend school each day that school is in session, unless otherwise excused under School Board policy, regulation, and the compulsory attendance laws. 

If a student is absent from school, parents should provide an excuse to the school within 5 days of the absence. Cases in which an excuse is not received within five (5) days of the absence will be referred to an administrator. 

How to Report an Absence 

• ParentVUE should be used to report FULL-DAY absences for the CURRENT day and/or future days (up to 30 days in advance). 
• If you need to submit an excuse for a PRIOR day or for a LATE ARRIVAL, you will need to use our designated email for reporting absences of [email protected]. Note: any email asking to excuse an absence or tardy must come from the parent's email. Anything sent from the student's email address will not be accepted.  
• Hand-written notes or doctor’s notes can also be dropped off to the front office. A note must include a parent's signature and date.
• If you need to have your student dismissed early, you do not need to call or email the office in advance. Once you arrive at the office, and your I.D. has been verified against the emergency contact list, your student will be called to the office for dismissal. The last early dismissal of the day will be at 2:30 pm, so please be sure to arrive before then, with your ID, if you need to pick your student up early.
• If your student is marked absent from just one period, parents should email the teacher directly to find out what happened. The teacher will then work with the Attendance staff if a correction to attendance is required.

Extended Absences

As part of the division’s ongoing commitment to continuous improvement, the Student Health and Wellness (SHAW) Department conducted a comprehensive review and update of the division’s attendance policy during the 2024-25 school year. This process incorporated valuable feedback from key stakeholders, including the Attendance Project Team, a cross-functional group dedicated to enhancing student attendance outcomes. Additionally, SHAW collaborated with the Superintendent’s Principal Advisory Council and the Superintendent’s Advisory Council on Instruction to gather insights on necessary policy and regulation changes. These efforts were aimed at ensuring that updated policies and regulations provide clear guidance and promote equitable practices across the division.   

Regulation Updates:

• Clearly states that trips/travel are unexcused absences
• Principals no longer have discretion to excuse absences for extenuating circumstances
• Principals may request a doctor's note after: 
  • Three consecutive days of absence due to illness
  • Nine days of absence due to illness during the school year

For further information on Attendance Policies and the Truancy process, please see the PWCS regulations. 

Regulation 724-1 – Attendance, Absences, Excuses, and Tardies