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Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr

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Attendance

Image of WYSJ School of Science and Technology, showcasing modern architecture and students engaged in scientific activities.

 

Our Mission 
To inspire passion for learning and educating all students to achieve their full potential. 

Our Goals 
To implement policy and procedures around attendance to reduce chronic absenteeism. 

Our Objectives 
To build awareness, foster relationships with families, and provide resources to improve attendance.

Attendance Team

Ms. Laure Jackson
School Attendance Specialist
Annex-LFH-MLK Elementary Schools

792 Mount Avenue
Wyandanch, NY 11798

(631) 870-0565
Email Ms. Laure Jackson

Ms. Elizabeth Moshkovich

School Social Worker
Annex-LFH-MLK Elementary Schools792 Mount Avenue
Wyandanch, NY 11798

(631) 870-0555
Email Ms. Elizabeth Moshkovich

Procedures

LatenessA colorful illustration featuring a ringing alarm clock with pink bells and blue legs, displaying the time at 7 o'clock. To the right, bold text in a comic-style speech bubble reads "WAKE UP!" with dynamic lines and stars surrounding it for emphasis.
When a student is late to school, they are missing out on learning. Parents should make sure their child is in school by 8:25am for LFH and MLK, and 9:30am for the Annex.

Students who arrive late to school more than 2 hours late after the start of class but prior to 11:30AM will be marked as absent for the morning session. Students arriving later than 1:30PM will be marked absent for the entire day.

Chronic Absence and Truancy
According to the New York State, Department of Education, Chronic absentees shall be defined as a student missing 10% or more (excused or unexcused) of the days the scholar has been enrolled and school is in session.

Irregular Attendance Procedures
If your child exhibits irregular attendance, the following steps will be taken and recorded in your child’s attendance records.

  • Teacher will attempt to contact the parent at least 3 times. All communication between teachers and parents will be documented in your child’s attendance records.
  • Attendance office may be notified if the teacher is unable to contact the parent.
  • Consecutive absent letters are sent home on a weekly basis. A consecutive absence letter will be automatically sent home to parents of students who have 3 or more consecutive absences in a week.
  • The attendance office will follow up with a phone call/home visit if there was no parent response from the teacher's attempt and no response to letters that were sent home.
  • The attendance office will notify the Social Worker to take further steps if necessary.

Attendance Notes

A black-and-white printable form titled "Note Regarding Absence." The form includes blank lines for filling out details such as the date, recipient, child's name, dates of absence, and the reason for the absence. The layout is simple, with a decorative border and a small apple illustration in the bottom-right corner.

 

When reporting your child absence, please review the following protocols as well as acceptable excused absences.

  • Parents must provide a written excuse of their child's absence via fax, email, in person to the school, or by parent square. only.
  • Parents must include their child’s full name, grade, date, and reason to determine if absence will be excused.
  • All medical and legal absent notes can be emailed directly to your child’s teacher or faxed directly to your child’s school nurse.

Acceptable Excused Absences

  • Student Illness
  • Medical appointment
  • Death/Illness of family member
  • Technology Issues/Outages
  • Legal circumstances relating to student

Home Visits

A comprehensive guide for conducting home visits, featuring tips and best practices for effective engagement.

The school shall and will conduct a home visit to any scholar who is chronically absent and truant or other reasons that prevent the child from attending school.

Transfers & Verification

Image depicting the process of verifying residency for out-of-district student transfers, showcasing necessary documentation.

Parents should inform the attendance office if their child has or will be transferring out of the district or in need of a verification. Transfer request forms and verifications are available online.  At the top of the website, click on Parents then scroll down to Verification and Out of District Transfer Request. Parents must complete the form in its entirety and submit a copy of their identification.

Transfers will be processed and records will be sent directly to the new school upon receiving proof of enrollment from the new school. All verification requests will be emailed or mailed back to the parent/guardian or designee within 48 hours of receiving the request.

Tips for Parents

Getting Ready for School

  • Make sure your child is ready for school well in advance. Follow these suggestions:
  • The night before, see that your child’s homework is complete and that he/she is ready to turn it in.
  • Encourage your child to lay out the next day’s clothes before going to bed.
  • See that your child gets plenty of sleep each night(10-11 hours) and has a healthy breakfast in the morning.
  • Make sure your child has reliable transportation to and from school every day.
  • If you drive your child to school, allow enough travel time. Give yourself time for minor car problems, heavy traffic, bad weather, or other issues that may cause delays.

​​​​​​Good Attendance Makes A Difference

  • It increases your child’s chances of doing well in school and more opportunities to learn
  • Students who have good attendance do better on reading and math assessments
  • It teaches your child valuable skills, such as responsibility, self-discipline, and persistence.
  • Leads to a positive attitude, which leads to better behaviors at home and school.

Problems Associated with Poor Attendance

Students who miss school:

  • Have fewer opportunities to develop social skills and to learn the material that helps them succeed in their classes
  • Eventually drop out of school
  • Receive low or failing grades
  • Get low scores on achievement tests
  • Feel disconnected from school
  • Have a negative attitude about school and themselves
  • Be held back and have to repeat a grade

Ways to Promote Good Attendance

  • Try not to schedule medical appointments during school hours.
  • Don’t let your child stay home unless he/she is truly sick.
  • Help your child maintain routines, such as waking up on time every morning, going to school, doing homework when he/she gets home, and getting to bed early to get enough sleep.
  • Be a role model and make good attendance a priority.
  • Take time every day to discuss your child’s day at school, and have him/her share a favorite moment or event that occurred or what was learned that day.
  • Understand your child’s school rules and policies.

Team Up with Teachers

  • Build a relationship with your child’s teacher (s).
  • Set up regular parent-teacher meetings throughout the school year, either in person or via phone or internet.
  • Ask teachers how you can support your child’s learning at home

Resources

Print this picture and see how you can improve your attendance. Put an X in each square after completing the activity and maintain perfect attendance to receive a prize from the attendance office.

An eye-catching poster that emphasizes the importance of "Improving Attendance" with striking typography and colors.

 

Additional Resources on Attendance: