5.3.10
Attendance Policy & Procedures
Regular, on-time attendance is crucial for children to be well prepared for success in kindergarten and beyond. Shasta Head Start (SHS) will work with parents in a positive and proactive way to support regular attendance.
Attendance Policy
Regular attendance (90% or above) is an expectation of participating in the SHS program. Parents must notify SHS when a child will be absent due to illness or other emergencies. SHS staff will work proactively with families to promote regular attendance.
The purpose of the Attendance Policy is to ensure regular attendance and accountability.
The Family Services staff is responsible for initially reviewing the attendance policy with families during enrollment and the first initial visit to set clear expectations for attendance. The Child Development staff also reviews the attendance policy during orientation and their first home visit. Otherwise, it is reviewed with the family when an attendance issue is identified.
Attendance is tracked in Child Plus and is entered in combination with meal count record. For more information, refer to:
Refer to the Attendance Policy (available in English and Spanish) for more information on:
- Excused Absences
- Best Interest Days
- Unexcused Absences
- Attendance Study Team (AST)
- Chronic Attendance Concerns
Important Notes:
- Families should be offered support and education to establish regular attendance, and should be withdrawn from the program only when they are unwilling or unable to participate.
- The Attendance Process must be followed before an enrollment vacancy occurs and the slot is made available to another child on the waitlist.
- Identifying attendance issues
- Completing Attendance Notification(s)
- Holding an Attendance Study Team meeting
- Completing the Attendance Contract
- Copies of written documentation will be filed in the Parent Contact Binder in the Family Services Section and documented on the Family Services Cover Sheet
- A child’s slot will become vacant due to attendance issues only after the Attendance Process is carried out and the Area Manager and Family Services Manager has given approval.
- An Attendance Study Team meeting may be scheduled to address attendance issues. Refer to the Attendance Study Team SOP and Attendance Policy for more information.
- The Family Services Manager must be notified of all families that are involved in the Attendance Process. This information is documented on the Family Worker and Home Visitor Monthly Summary Report
- State Classrooms with contracted care hours will have established guidelines around arrival and pickup times. This should be considered when identifying attendance issues.
Attendance Notification
The Attendance Notification is meant to notify parents of an attendance problem and to assist parents in problem-solving ways to ensure regular attendance. It is also meant to educate parents on the importance of regular, on time attendance and to document attempts to resolve attendance issues.
The Family Services staff will complete and distribute this notification to families after the second attendance issue and subsequent issues (the first issue is communicated as a verbal warning). A copy of the Attendance Policy should be included with each notification.
A copy of the Attendance Notification is saved in the child’s file in the Family Services section and documented on the Family Services cover sheet.
State Classrooms: Electronic Attendance Review
Review of sign-ins daily:
1. Check for full, legal signatures and ensure children are signed-in/out for each day they attended class.
2. Ensure all absences are coded correctly and signed by staff.
3. Collect weekly attendance sheets when placing the next week’s sign-ins in binder.
4. Run 2320 Report for each class and use as a cover sheet for sign-ins stacked in alphabetical order as they appear on report.
5. Verify all codes on sheets are identical to ChildPlus
6. Scan to ERSEA_State by noon each Monday and on the 1st center day of each month.
7. Your center’s Enrollment Coordinator will review and email by mid-day Tuesday.
a. If corrections need to be made, complete as soon as possible, then re-scan entire class.
b. Staff only corrections can be done immediately
c. Parent input may take until you see parent – email Enrollment Coordinator for additional time if necessary.
8. Once Enrollment Coordinator confirms attendance is complete, send originals to Admin.
9. Originals to be received at Admin by end of day Friday unless extension has been requested.
References
- Attendance Policy – English Center|Spanish/ Home Base
- Attendance Notification – English | Spanish
- Attendance Contract – English | Spanish
- Help Your Child Succeed Hand Out – English | Spanish
- Attend Today, Achieve Tomorrow Hand Out – English | Spanish
- Healthy Mind and Body Hand Out – English | Spanish
- Family Services Cover Sheet
- Attendance/Meal Count Record
- Enter Attendance/Meal Count Record in Child Plus
- State Sign-In Sheet Setup & Examples