Attendance

It is the responsibility of the parents/guardian to notify the school of student absences.

Elementary schools and Silverbrook: Please call the school office prior to the start of the school day.

Badger and East and West High Schools: Please call the attendance office prior to 9 a.m.

When students are absent from school, parents/guardians assume full responsibility for their activities. It is the responsibility of the student and parents/guardians to contact teachers about missing work and make-up of assignments and/or tests after an absence. 

Wisconsin Statute 118.15 and 118.16 and board policy 431 state that a parent may excuse a student for up to 10 days in a school year for any reason. Per State Statute, after reaching 10 excused absences or days tardy, all subsequent absences or days tardy are considered unexcused unless medical documentation is provided. 

Anticipated absences will require students to bring a note from their parent/guardian to the office at least two days prior to the scheduled absences. Some schools will give the student a “PrePlanned Absence” form. Students must inform teachers of the anticipated absence. All assignments are the responsibility of the student. 

More information is available on Wisconsin State Statute 118.15 and 118.16 in the Answers to Frequently Asked Compulsory School Attendance Questions document. 

Decorah 8:45 a.m.—3:30 p.m. 

Fair Park 8:15 a.m.—3:00 p.m. 

Green Tree 8:45 a.m.—3:30 p.m. 

Jackson 8:45 a.m.—3:30 p.m. 

McLane 8:45 a.m.—3:30 p.m. 

Silverbrook Intermediate School 8:00 a.m.—3:05 p.m. 

Badger Middle School 7:55 a.m.—3:15 p.m. 

East/West High Schools 7:15 a.m.—2:25 p.m. 

Families should help ensure that students arrive at school on time. If an elementary student is late for school, a parent/guardian should escort him/her and report to the school office or have them present a note from you explaining the reasons for tardiness. He/she will be marked “excused tardy” and then sent to their classroom. A student who comes to school tardy without a phone call or note from a parent/guardian will be marked “unexcused tardy.” Families, teachers, and the principal or assistant principal will address cases of chronic tardiness. 

The West Bend School District actively notifies parents/guardians of students regarding the students’ absences and/or tardies when they reach a certain level. Further actions for truancy—when absences, tardies, etc. are NOT excused—also take place. 

Attendance monitoring and interventions include letters sent to the parent/guardian with an explanation of attendance expectations and policy and possible consequences. The letter also includes a list of all documented excused or unexcused absences. Letters are sent at the following intervals:

• 5 absences and/or tardies or 3 unexcused absences
• 8 absences and/or tardies
• Any combination of absences, tardies, and unexcused equaling More than 11 absences and/or tardies 

Additional actions and interventions related to absences and tardies include:

• A meeting between parent/guardian and school officials to identify ways to improve attendance. 
• Contact by school counselor, teacher, or administrator to parent/guardian to identify if there are barriers impacting attendance. 
• Referral to the school attendance team to identify if targeted supports are needed and a meeting with the family to develop a plan.

A student will be considered a habitual truant if absent from school without an acceptable excuse for part or all of five or more days on which school is held during a school semester. When a student initially becomes a habitual truant, the school will notify the parent or guardian by mail in accordance to state statute. The school may simultaneously notify the parent or guardian of the habitually truant child by electronic communication. Once deemed a habitual truant, a building administrator will refer the student to the school police officer and/or other authorities as necessary. Truancy and habitual truancy also includes students who skip scheduled classes, resource or study halls as well as the refusal to attend scheduled classes, or leaving the school building without permission. 

From time-to-time, circumstances require that a student be late to school or dismissed before the end of the school day. The district requires that the school be notified in advance of such absences by written or personal request by the student's parent/guardian, which shall state the reason for the tardiness or early dismissal.

If possible, please schedule appointments outside of the school day and during vacations. If this is not possible, excused absences will be granted if a doctor’s excuse is provided. Please contact the school health room professional for details on excuses for students with a chronic illness.

Attendance for the West Bend Virtual Academy is monitored through work completion and time on task and is recorded in Skyward. Students are required to make adequate weekly progress. Contact Aaryn Faust at afaust@wbsd-schools.org or 262-335-1472 for more information.