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Attendance Services

Stafford Schools continues efforts to ensure that all students fully benefit from their education by attending school regularly. Positive school attendance has a huge impact on a student’s academic success.  Attending school regularly, helps students feel better about school and themselves. 

As partners in education, families play a key role in school attendance.  Families are imperative in making sure students get to school safely every day and understand why attendance at school is so very important for success in school and in life.

Stafford Schools realizes there are many reasons students miss school. Some absences are just unavoidable due to health problems or other circumstances.  However, absences add up quickly.  Absences of 10% or greater are considered chronic.  If your student is out of school, please remember to call the school. 

Stafford Schools also realizes that when students miss too much school – regardless of the reason – it can cause them to fall behind academically.  Remember that even though a student may complete take-home work, this does not take away an absence. Student success is less likely if the student is experiencing chronic absenteeism or truancy.  Even just missing 2 days a month makes a student at risk.  Attendance Works provides research-based facts about how attendance affects performance in school.

Stafford Schools is committed to educating every student to the very best of our ability, and to ensuring students do not fall behind and become discouraged.  Please ensure students attend school all day, every day.  Here are a few tips to help support regular school attendance:

  • Keep a consistent bed time and morning routine. Students thrive with consistency!
  • Lay out clothes and pack the backpack/organize supplies the night before.
  • Ensure that your student logs into school and completes every session, every day, unless they are truly sick.
  • Avoid scheduling vacations or doctor’s appointments when school is in session.
  • Communicate with your teachers and counselor for advice if your student is feeling anxious about school.
  • For more information about school attendance practices please reach out to your student's school principal

If you are having trouble with your student attending school for any reason, please don’t hesitate to reach out to your student’s school for resources.

Important to Note

Upon reaching 15 consecutive absences for any reason (i.e. excused, unexcused, truant), students shall be withdrawn from the membership roll as required by Virginia law (8 VAC 20-110-130). Students who are withdrawn for 15 consecutive absences are not excused from compulsory attendance requirements and are expected to re-enroll in an approved educational program as soon as possible.  

Are you moving or relocating?  Students who withdraw to attend a school outside of Stafford Schools will need to notify the previously attended school as soon as reasonably possible and make an effort to follow the withdrawal process.