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Absences

Students who regularly miss school are at heightened risk for falling behind academically. Parents/guardians should make every effort to ensure students are in school daily. If you are having trouble getting your child to school daily, please contact your child’s school principal for support.

Excused Absences

Per Board of Education Policy 7:70, an absence from school will be excused for the following:

  • Illness (including mental or behavioral health)
  • Observance of a religious holiday
  • Death in the immediate family
  • Attendance at a civic event
  • Family emergency
  • Reasonable concern to the parent/guardian for the student’s mental, emotional, or physical safety

Unexcused Absences

  • Vacations/Family Trips
  • All other absences not listed above

Attendance Notification Forms – NEW FOR SY25-26

Parents/guardians are required to notify their child’s school of a planned vacation or family trip during the school year. The required notification form is available by clicking one of the school links below:

Automated Attendance Reminders – NEW FOR SY25-26

Research shows that parents/guardians often underestimate the number of days their child is absent during the school year. To assist parents and guardians in tracking the number of days their child has been absent PRIOR to the school district being legally required to report them as CHRONICALLY ABSENT (17 days total – excused and unexcused) to the Illinois State Board of Education, parents/guardians will receive automated attendance notifications after their child misses the following total number of school days (both excused and unexcused absences).

Palos East and Palos West Elementary School Students

If a child misses 6 or more days during the first trimester, parents will receive the following message at the end of the 1st Trimester:

Your child has missed 6 or more days during the first trimester of the school year. Continued absences at a rate of 6 or more days per trimester may result in your child being reported as chronically absent to the Illinois State Board of Education at the end of the school year.

If a child misses 12 or more days during the first and second trimester, parents will receive the following message at the end of the 2nd Trimester:

Your child has missed 12 or more days through the second trimester of the school year and is in danger of being reported as chronically absent to the Illinois State Board of Education.

If a child misses 17 or more days during the school year, parents will receive the following message at the end of the 3rd Trimester:

Your child has missed 17 or more days this school year and has been reported as chronically absent to the Illinois State Board of Education.

Palos South Middle School Students

If a child misses 5 or more days during the first quarter, parents will receive the following message at the end of the 1s Quarter:

Your child has missed 5 or more days during the first quarter of the school year. Continued absences at a rate of 5 or more days per quarter may result in your child being reported as chronically absent to the Illinois State Board of Education at the end of the school year.

If a child misses 9 or more days through the second quarter of the school year, parents will receive the following message at the end of the 2nd Quarter:

Your child has missed 9 or more days through the second quarter of the school year and is in danger of being reported as chronically absent to the Illinois State Board of Education.

If a child misses 13 or more days through the third quarter of the school year, parents will receive the following message at the end of the 3rd Quarter:

Your child has missed 13 or more days through the third quarter of the school year and is in danger of being reported as chronically absent to the Illinois State Board of Education.

If a child misses 17 or more days during the school year, parents will receive the following message at the end of the 4th Quarter:

Your child has missed 17 or more days this school year and has been reported as chronically absent to the Illinois State Board of Education.

Absence Make-up Work

Parents of students who are absent from school due to illness may request make-up work prior to 10 a.m. by calling the school office. If a child is ill for 2 days or longer, it is strongly recommended that parents call the office and request make-up work. Homework may be picked up in the vestibule outside the school office between dismissal until 4 p.m. (Palos East & Palos West) and 3:45 p.m. (Palos South). A student who is excused from school attendance will be given the same number of days to complete make-up work equivalent to the number of days the student was absent from school.

Vacation Make-up Work

Academic success is dependent upon regular school attendance. Parents are encouraged to plan family vacations when school is not in session. It is impossible to replicate the classroom experience by virtue of make-up classwork. Should it be impossible to schedule vacation without impacting school attendance, the teacher will provide make-up work upon the student’s return to class. Students will be given the same number of days to complete make-up work equivalent to the number of days the student was absent from school.

References:

Policy 7:70 Attendance and Truancy
Full Board policies