Attendance Office

General Attendance Information

Regular attendance and punctuality are vital from the start of the school year until the last day. Frequent absences and tardies interfere with your student’s academic development. Academic failure is almost always associated with more than 10 days (about 1.5 weeks) of absence each semester.

Attendance Brochure

Reporting a Student Absence

If a student is absent from school, a note must be turned into the Attendance Office. Notes received will be coded. Notes can be received in person during regular school hours, by email to: SCHSAttendance@ccboe.com or completing the Attendance Note Form linked below.

Electronic Reporting of a Student Absence

Attendance Note for Students

*Please refrain from resubmitting multiple requests for the same day.

Once you have submitted the form, please allow 2-3 business days for changes to take place in Synergy. No further action is needed.

Note: After (3) three days of Sick and/or Mental Health, a doctor’s note is required to excuse the absence.

TAKE NOTE: If your student attends Stethem for a CTE (Career and Technical Education) AM or PM program(s), please send the excuse note to both Stetham and St. Charles Attendance Offices to ensure your student attendance is processed correctly at both schools.

Checking a Student Out of School

If a student must be checked out of school for a Medical/Dental Appointment or other planned event, etc., the parent/guardian must sign out the student in the Attendance Office and show valid photo identification before leaving campus with the student.

Electronic Early Dismissal Authorization Form

If you are sending someone to pick up your student, you must submit written authorization prior to the departure, otherwise we will need to verify the pick-up with you, wait on your written authorization before the student will be able to depart the campus.

Early Dismissal Authorization Form

NOTE: if a parent, stepparent, or guardian is not listed in the parent section, the student cannot be released until we receive authorization from the authorized parent. The emergency contact list is not authorization for student pick up.

Excused Absences

Illness
Mental health/Behavorial Health
Family funerals
Religious holidays
Medical appointments Court summons
CCPS Bus delays/no-shows

The absences listed above are considered as excused, with the submission of notes. NOTE: A medical note is needed after 3 consecutive days of absences for mental health and illnesses. For out-of-town funerals, exceeding 3 days please use Form Code 13 (Code 13 only grants a total of 5 days in any school year). Excused absences DO NOT COUNT towards the student’s attendance under the CCPS attendance policy.

Unexcused Absences

Car trouble/flat tire
Work
Missing the bus/ride
Busy traffic
Oversleeping
Driver’s test
Family or personal business
Class cutting
Court appointments for traffic violations
Graduations
The student/child was with me (i.e., parent/guardian, teacher, etc.)
Caring for a family member, or taking them to a Dr. appointment

Note that these absences are UNEXCUSABLE and could be considered truancy. (Unexcused absences DO COUNT towards the student’s attendance under the CCPS attendance policy)

Early Dismissal Request

*Call ahead to have your student in the office is no longer acceptable. Students will not be dismissed until the parent/guardian is present to receive your student. To enter any Charles County Public School buildings, you must have a State Issued Driver's License to be scanned or copied. Please allow time in your schedule for the Attendance Office to retrieve your student from their class.  (Students could be testing, in Athletics, or in a Lab, etc.).

For auditing purposes parents are not required to call the office to report a student absence, please submit a note in person or by email to the school for the absence to be excused. Until a note is received by the attendance office, all official excusable absences will be marked unexcused.

Note that there will be no dismissal of students after 1:45pm.

College Visits

Juniors and Seniors visiting an institution of higher education in anticipation for potential future enrollment may be granted a lawful absence if the parents/guardians give a two-week notice, prior to the trip, receive authorization from the grade level Assistant Principal and/or Principal. The trips are limited to no more than (5) five days total in any school year. Documentation from the institution must be submitted following the visit to excuse the absence.

Form Code 13

Form Code 13 Form for Family Emergencies, College Visits, Work Approved or Other Circumstance

CODE 13 Form Parent Request for Excused Absence Central Office Approval Required: Other emergency or set of circumstances which, in the judgement of the Superintendent or designee, constitutes a good and sufficient cause for absence from school for up to five school days per school year, including an education trip or unique life experience. A vacation is not considered an educational trip or a unique life experience.

This document is approved by the school’s principal and must be completed and sent to SCHSAttendance@ccboe.com

Code 13 Request for Absence Approval Form (English)

Code 13 Request for Absence Approval Form (Spanish)

Other Pertinent Information

If a student becomes ill at school, he/she needs to report to the school nurse upon release from the teacher.  The nurse will determine if he/she needs to be excused due to illness.  The parent/guardian will be contacted by the nurse to arrange pick up and sign out the student in the Attendance Office.  If the student is sent home by the nurse, this is considered an excused absence (DOES NOT count towards the student’s attendance under the CCPS attendance policy) for the remainder of that day. Subsequent absences will need a parent note to be excused.  Should the nurse choose not to send a student home due to illness and the parent chooses to sign out their student, this is an unexcused absence until a parent note is received.

Custodial/Non-custodial Rights

FAQs

Where do I find the CCPS Policy?
Attendance Policy - Charles County Public Schools (ccboe.com)
How many days do I have to verify tardiness or absences before they are coded as unlawful?
Five (5) days (See Parent Handbook/Calendar 2025-26 page 6.
How many absences can my child have per marking period?
Marking period 4.5 days/Semester 9 days/Yearly 18 days (about 2.5 weeks), for additional information, please refer to CCPS Eligibility Requirements Link: Board approves updates to eligibility policy | details - Charles County Public Schools (ccboe.com)
Are vacations considered an excused absence?
No. Parents are discouraged from scheduling vacations during the school year. In the event of an emergency, please refer to FORM CODE 13 (FAMILY EMERGENCIES/WORK APPROVED/OTHER CIRCUMSTANCES) see CODE 13 section above.
Can someone listed on my emergency contact list pick up my student?
Yes. You must submit in advanced a written or email (must come from the email on file) notice authorization each time for anyone picking up your student that is not listed as the legal parent/guardian in Synergy even if that person is listed on your emergency contact list. The emergency contact list is used in the event of an emergency and the parent/guardian cannot be reached, then the school will begin to reach out to the individuals that you have listed.
How do I get College visit absences approved?
Please refer to College Visits above.
What to do if my student was marked absent from a block?
Contact the teacher directly to correct the marking in Synergy. The attendance office cannot verify if your student was in class and cannot make the update in Synergy without the block teacher's request.
I received an Attendance Violation letter. What happens next?
- After five (5) absences of any kind (excused or unexcused), the school will notify parents/guardians through a letter sent home, by phone or other electronic communication.
- After ten (10) absences (excused or unexcused), parents/guardians are contacted. A meeting may be held to develop an attendance improvement plan.
- After fifteen (15) absences (excused or unexcused), the student may be referred to the school's pupil personnel worker.
- Additional absences may result in the student and their parent/guardian being referred to the State’s Attorney’s Office for possible legal action for chronic truancy.