Attendance

Absence Reporting & Requests

In case of absence or tardiness of your student, please email our registrar at ncattendance@issaquah.wednet.edu or call Newcastle Elementary at 425-837-5800 option 1 and leave a brief message. Leave only the following information:

• Students' name, grade and name of their teacher.
• Your name and relationship to the student.
• Date of absence or tardy.
• Reason for the absence/tardy

If possible please call the night before or before 8 am.  All absences are unexcused until we have heard from a child's parent.

State Law Regarding Attendance Conferences

State law requires our school to closely monitor student absences and their potential impact to the academic progress of students.  At times the school may call to ensure strong school support for students and their families.  To help us please consider the following:

• Call your absences in on time as instructed above.
• If you take your child to the doctor for illness causing absences, please request a doctors note for the school.
• For Pre-Planned absences of 1-2 days, simply call or email the office in advance with the dates of absence and reason.  Please ALSO inform your child's teacher.
• For Pre-Planned Absences of 3 or more days, please complete the process described below.  

Pre-Approved Absences: For absences for 3 or more days only.

Please make an attempt to schedule family trips during non-school dates. It is very difficult to make up lost instructional time. Absences for family trips without prior principal permission will result in an unexcused absence for the dates.

If you are planning to hold your child from school for a family event from 3-20 days, please submit an Absence Request for 3-20 absences to the office at least one week prior to the requested absence dates.

When considering whether to excuse absences the principal will consider:

• Total number of absences over the year.
• Impact on our ability to ensure adequate academic growth.
• Family emergencies where absences are unavoidable will receive special consideration.

Absences of greater than 20 days (cumulative).

If your child is planning to be absent greater than 20 days or if the absence causes a child to miss more than 20 days total for the school year, please submit an Absence Request Greater than 20 days to the office at least one week prior 

If the absence is not pre-approved, the student will be withdrawn from enrollment after 20 days of consecutive absences.

Make-Up Work

Absences may be excused with prior principal permission. When your child returns from an excused absence, the teacher will provide a list of make-up assignments, along with a reasonable timeline for completion. The student is responsible for completing missed work. (From ISD Elementary Schools Parent Handbook, pg 2)

Please note that per district policy and as indicated on the Pre-Approved Absence Request Form that we do not provide assignment in advance of their absences.  Instead we will provide make-up work.  When possible teacher may have suggestions for how you can support your child’s learning during the absence (reading, making a trip journal, IXL practice, etc.).

More information on the attendance law.