Attendance Information 

Four ways to excuse an absence (this is important)
  1. Use Skyward to excuse the absence… desktop directions here. (Did you know there is a Skyward app for your phone? If interested, call us for more information.)
  2. Email our attendance staff at camashigh.attendance@camas.wednet.edu.
  3. Leave us a voicemail message at 360-833-5761.
  4. Request a Prearranged Absence Form for pre-planned absences which are not in accordance with WAC 392-401-020. Give the school at least one day’s prior notice for each day of a planned absence. For example, if you will miss three days of school, contact the school at least three days before the absence.
How can families help?

Encourage your student to make it to class on time.  Walking into class five or ten minutes late means missed instruction time.  Please try to drop your student off with plenty of time to make it to class, encourage your student to leave home earlier to beat traffic and parking delays, or send your student on the BISD bus for a guaranteed on-time arrival.

Schedule appointments outside of school hours.  We understand that it's tricky to schedule medical appointments outside of school hours, but we ask that you do your best to maximize school breaks or late start/early release schedules to make appointments.  Even excused absences cause students to miss instruction and get behind in assignment completion and submission.

Submit excused absences in a timely manner.  Please enter excused absences via Family Access in Skyward.  This is the quickest way for us to receive attendance information daily and respond to unexcused absences according to Washington State Law.  We ask that you submit excuses within 24 hours of the absence.  We prefer that you provide information in advance of a planned appointment or absence.

Plan your travel during school breaks.  Please do not schedule family trips or travel during scheduled instructional days.  If you must take your student out of school for two or more days, please request a pre-arranged absence form from the attendance office at least two weeks in advance of the planned absence.  The student will be responsible for all makeup and missed assignments and assessments, and should plan in advance with each individual teacher.

Stay tuned in.  We need your help in advancing the message that attendance matters.  Check your student's attendance in Family Access, pay attention to the attendance phone calls, and ask your student questions about any noted tardies or absences.  If your student is experiencing physical or mental health concerns that impact school attendance, please contact your assigned counselor and administrator to establish a plan.  We are here to support you and your student in meeting the goal of attending every class, every day.

For safety and accountability reasons, students must sign in at the Attendance Office when arriving after school has started or before leaving campus before the end of the school day.

Any student absence that is not excused within three (3) days of the student’s return to school will not be excused (unless approved by an administrator). If a student is absent for five (5) days or more due to illness or health conditions, the school will need a note from their doctor or health care provider, or the absence may be classified as unexcused.

Every day of school counts—here’s the policy.

Attendance Guidelines and Policies

  • If you are unable to attend school on a given day, please ensure that a legal guardian excuses the absence using one of the four ways mentioned above. If we do not receive communication within three (3) days of the absence, it will be classified as unexcused.
  • Checking In or Out of School
    • Students must go through the attendance office when checking in or out of school to help ensure the safety of all students. Failure to do so may result in a behavior infraction.
  • After-School Activities and Athletics
    • Students intending to participate in after-school activities or athletics must attend school for the full day and attend all scheduled classes. If you are unable to attend, you must notify the attendance and athletic offices in advance.
  • Vacations or Pre-Arranged Absences
    • While we understand that certain events, such as vacations, may require students to miss school, we encourage minimizing absences as they can significantly impact academic performance. If you must be absent for a pre-arranged event, a Pre-Arranged Form with guardian signature must be submitted to prior to the absence.
    • Please note that all pre-excused absences are subject to the guidelines set forth by state law and school policy. Washington State law mandates that students be making adequate academic progress in order to be granted an excused absence. Consequently, pre-arranged absences may be denied to students with unsatisfactory academic performance.
    • The purpose of the pre-arranged absence process is to inform both the student and school personnel of any potential impact on classwork and to ensure teachers are aware of the student's attendance status. We require a minimum of one day's prior notice for each day of a planned absence. For example, if you plan to miss three days of school, please notify the school at least three days in advance.
  • Tardiness
    • Students are expected to be in class before the bell rings. If a student is more than 10 minutes late arriving to class, they will be marked as unexcused absent rather than tardy.
    • We appreciate your cooperation in maintaining accurate attendance records and supporting your academic success.

 

Need more information?

Attendance Resources for Families: OSPI

Attendance and Truancy: Washington State Governor's Office of the Education Ombuds

Washington State RCW