ATTENDANCE CODES AND PROCEDURES EXPLAINED

Car Riders Tardy to School – Report directly to class.  A T (Tardy) will be reflected on your attendance by the teacher.  (Multiple tardy codes on your attendance will result in disciplinary action.) Tardies occur only during the first 15 minutes of a 45 minute class and 30 minutes of a 90 minute class.  After this time, an absence is recorded and an excuse note or parent email is required.

Bus Riders Tardy to School – Report directly to the front office and sign the Late Bus binder on the counter.  Once you have printed your information in the binder, you will go to class.  Attendance will be corrected by the Attendance Clerk within 2 days.

Absent From School - Submit a note from the parent or organization to the front office within 3 days of your return to school.  Your attendance will be coded EX (Excused) within 2 days.

Personal Illness (3 or more days) – Within 3 days of the student’s return, submit a note from a doctor’s office to the front office.  Your attendance will be coded EX (Excused) within 2 days.

Doctor Appointment (ALL DAY) – Within 3 days of the student’s return, submit a note from the doctor’s office to the front office.  Your attendance will be coded EX (Excused) within 2 days.

Doctor Appointment (PART DAY) – Within 3 days of the student’s return, submit a note from the doctor’s office to the front office.  Your attendance will be coded MD (Medical) within 2 days.  This code does not count against your school attendance percentage.

Religious Holy Day - Within 3 days of the student’s return from the Holy observance, submit a note from a parent or Religious Institution to the front office.  Your attendance will be coded REL (Religious) within 2 days.  This code does not count against your school attendance percentage.

Court, Government or Legal Absence – Within 3 days of the student’s return, submit a note from the government office to the front office.  Your attendance will be coded GOV (Government) within 2 days.  This code does not count against your school attendance percentage.

College Visit – Send an email to rmoss@houstonisd.org and request permission from Principal Moss.  Once he approves, you are clear to go on your college visit.  IMPORTANT: You must obtain a letter from the College/University, on their letterhead, stating that you visited the campus with the date of your visit on it!  Within 3 days of the student’s return, submit your note from the College/University to the front office.  Your attendance will be coded COL (College) within 2 days.  This code does not count against your school attendance percentage.

Planned Early Departure (WITH PARENT NOTE) – The student must submit the parent note to the front office upon arrival that morning.  The student will be given a pass to leave class at the time specified on the letter by the parent.  At the indicated time of departure, the student may leave class and leave campus.  (Parent does not need to come to the office to pick up the student if the student submits the note to the office in the morning.)  Your attendance will be coded EX (Excused) if an absence excuse note is still needed within 3 days of the student’s return to school.

Early Departure Policy – Students WILL NOT be called out/dismissed from class after 3:30PM. Due to Covid restrictions to the building, parents are asked to scan the QR Code (located in the window next to the door) to complete the early release form and upload a picture of the parent identification or driver’s license. Please DO NOT send an email to the front desk or scan the QR code in advance. The parent should call the front office if the student has not arrived at their vehicle within 10 minutes after submitting the information.  Please allow extra time for the student to be called from class and navigate through the building to your vehicle.  Please plan accordingly to make it to the appointments on time.  Within 3 days of the student’s return, submit a note from a parent or doctor’s office to the front desk.  Attendance records will be corrected within 2 days.

For student drivers: Parents are to send an email with the student’s full name, student identification number, date and time, and a picture of the parent’s driver’s license to the following emails: Claudia Alvarenga calvaren@houstonisd.org and/or Ruben Hermosillo ruben.hermosillo@houstonisd.org.  Students will not be dismissed after 3:30 PM.  Please plan accordingly to avoid delays.

Early Departure (Illness of Other) – Students are not to call parents to pick them up.  If a student is ill, he or she must go to the clinic and a parent will be called by an adult if they need to be picked up.  If they want a parent to pick them up for any other reason, they must see an administrator for approval and the administrator will notify the parent.  Students will be UNEX (Absent Unexcused) if they do not receive proper approval for a departure.  If the departure is approved, within 3 days of the student’s return, submit a note from a parent or doctor’s office to the front office.  Your attendance will be coded EX (Excused) or MD (Medical) within 2 days.

NOTE: A note may be submitted for a car rider’s tardy, but traffic is not a TEA acceptable reason for being late to school.

NOTE: HISD will only allow Religious codes for the observance of a HOLY DAY.  This does not include weddings, Bar or Bat Mitzvahs, baptism or any other celebration that is not considered a HOLY DAY.

NOTE: If the student DOES NOT submit a letter from the College/University, he or she will not receive a College attendance code; it can only be considered EX (Excused).

NOTE:  Signing a student out for early departure does not equal an excused absence.  A note must be submitted for every absence.