Attendance Policy

Minneapolis Public Schools recognizes that daily attendance is critical to academic achievement. It is our goal to work with students, families and communities to support regular school attendance and improve academic achievement. Please call your school for further assistance or questions about the attendance policy.

What are Excused Absences?

• Doctor/Dentist Appointments: Whenever possible, please schedule doctor and dentist appointments before and after school. If you must schedule an appointment during school, the appointment will be excused only upon receiving a written note from the doctor or dentist.
• Illness: Students are allowed up to 8 total absences a year, or 3 days in a row, due to illness. A doctor's note must be provided if your child is gone from school more than 8 total days over the school year, or 3 days in a row. Your child's health is important to us, school staff can help your child if you do not have health insurance or cannot afford to see a doctor. Please contact your school if you need help.
• School Bus Problems: If your child misses school because the bus was late or did not show up at the bus stop, you must report this to the school that morning.
• Religious Holidays/Cultural Observances: If your child will be gone due to a religious holiday or cultural observance, you must notify the school in advance.
• Funeral: Students may be gone up to 4 days a year because of a funeral. If your child will be gone more than 4 days, you must get written approval for additional excused time from the Principal or the Social Worker.
• Family Emergency: Students may be gone up to 3 days a year because of a family emergency. If your child will be gone more than 3 days, you must get written approval for additional excused time from the Principal, Assistant Principal, or the Social Worker.

Family Activity: Please attempt to plan family activities and vacations during breaks from school. However, a student may be gone up to 5 days from school for a pre-approved family activity such as a vacation. To get pre-approval from the school, you must do the following:

• At least 10 days before leaving, request permission from the school for your child to be gone by sending an email to the principal.
• Before leaving, get your child's homework and agree that your child will finish the homework.
• Make sure that your child will not be gone for important tests (FAST, MCA).
• Agree in writing that your child will miss no more than 5 days of school.
• All days of vacation after 5 days will be considered unexcused. Once a student has reached 5 days of vacation, additional days of vacation will be considered unexcused absences and a Principal letter is sent home. At 7 days of unexcused absences, a Parent Group Meeting (PGM) referral is made to the Hennepin County Attorney's Office. This office will send a letter to the child's parent(s). At 12 days, of unexcused absences an 'educational neglect report' is sent to Hennepin County.
  
  

Tardiness Policy

The Armatage school day begins at 8:15am. It is vital that students arrive at school on time. One of the most important times of the school day is the morning. This is the time when important school news is announced, teachers define the plans for the day, and instructional goals are reviewed and set. The whole tone of a child's school day is set in the first part of the day.

School Schedule And Tardy Procedures

• 7:50am - Breakfast is served starting at 7:50. Please have your child here at 7:50 if they are eating breakfast so they have time to eat and get to class on time.
• 8:05am - Students arrive at school.
• 8:15am - Bell rings. All students should be in their classrooms.
• Students arriving late are TARDY and must sign in on the tardy roster in the main office.

After 3 tardies, a letter will be sent home reminding families of the attendance and tardy procedures.

If a child is tardy 6 times or has 6 early releases from school without a valid excuse that will be counted as an unexcused absence.