Reporting an Absence / Attendance

At Howe Sound Secondary, we believe that regular attendance and punctuality are fundamentally important. To increase the probability that students will succeed, we expect our students to:

• Attend 100% of the time except for illness or emergency. An absence can only be excused by a parent or guardian.
• Arrive to class on time, prepared to learn. Students should not request permission to leave classes except for illness, or in an emergency situation. Where possible, appointments should be scheduled outside of school hours.
• Remain in their classes for the first 15 minutes and last 15 minutes of each block.
• Have parents/guardians inform the school in advance by telephone at (604) 892-5261, or by email to [email protected] when their child will be late or absent.
• Discuss any absence with teachers.  Missed work and assignments are the responsibility of the student. Make-up opportunities may be provided at the teacher’s discretion. Students may receive a Fail if they miss classes and do not make arrangements with their teachers for missed time and/or work.
• Sign out at the office if required to leave during the school day. We expect the parent/guardian’s written permission for early dismissal. In cases where written permission is not provided the office staff will phone to obtain verbal permission from the parent/guardian.

If lates and absences become habitual, a parent/guardian will be notified in writing and should this behaviour continue, the student may be removed from the class and/or the school.