Health & Attendance

Please use the blue button in ParentVUE or call the attendance line for any absence: 651-653-2832

If your child is absent and we have not heard from you, a phone call will go out to your cell phone, work phone, or home phone from our automated system.

Is My Child Well Enough To Go To School?

If your child is sick, you may be unsure if your child should stay home or if they can attend school. The following information is intended to help with this decision.

If student has had a fever of 100 degrees or more, the student should stay home for 24 hours after the temperature returns to normal and remains normal without fever reducing medicine.
If student has vomited or had diarrhea, the student should stay home until 24 hours after the last episode.
If they have any rash that may be disease related, or the cause unknown. Check with your child's physician before returning to school.

Attendance Policies

Absences

When your child will not be in school, please call the Attendance Line (651-653-2832). If we do not hear from a parent/guardian, we will be contacting you to confirm your child's absence. Absences not reported by a parent/guardian are marked as unexcused.

The Ramsey County Attorney’s Family Truancy Intervention Program states:

School attendance is mandatory in the state of Minnesota in order to ensure all children acquire the necessary skills for success as adults.

Studies show a direct link between regular school attendance and academic achievement. Elementary-age children with poor attendance records are more likely to experience difficulty in core subjects.

If they miss a school day or part of the day, for legitimate reasons, a parent or guardian must notify the school. A parent or guardian must seek an excused absence; however, the school administrator has the right to accept or deny an application for an excused absence.

Tardies: A child will be marked tardy if they arrive at school between 7:45 a.m. and 8:30 a.m.
1/2 Day Absence: If a child arrives after 8:30 a.m. or leaves before 1:30 p.m., they will be considered absent for a half day (either AM or PM).
Early Release: Important
- If a child leaves school after 1:30 p.m., they will be marked as either an excused or unexcused early release.

Three (3) unexcused tardies/early releases will be considered 1/2 day unexcused absence.

If we do not hear from you by 9 a.m., it is our practice to send out an automated call to your home or work number to inform you that your child was marked absent.

*When bringing your child in late, an adult must sign him/her in at the office.

Lawful school absences:	Sickness Doctor appointments Religious holidays Extreme family emergency
Invalid excuses (examples):	Staying home to babysit Too tired The weather Missed the bus Suspended from the bus Child is not immunized Overslept

Absences/Appointments

To ensure the safety and protection of your child, we use a student sign-out procedure. When it is necessary for a student to leave school early or for a few hours during the day, the parent or guardian must sign the child out of school. Once the student is signed out, the secretary will call the student to the office, where the parent/guardian may pick the student up. If the student returns to school before the end of the school day, the parent/guardian must sign the child back in school.

Late arrival/leave early: Students who arrive at school after 10:00 a.m. will be marked as absent for the morning. Students who leave before 3:00 p.m. will be marked as absent for the afternoon.

Absences/Vacations

Regular attendance at school is very important to your child’s success. Please arrange vacations and trips during non-school days. If your child is going to be missing school because of a vacation or trip, this needs to be approved by the Principal before the absence.

You will be notified when your child’s attendance records indicate he/she has missed more than 10% of the school days in session. If the absences continue, a medical provider’s statement verifying that your child is not to be in school may be required.

Health Resources/Info

The image is a guide on determining if a child is well enough to attend school, with illustrations of a sick and healthy bear character.

Frequently Requested Information

Is My Child Well Enough to go to School?

Immunization Information

Medication at School

Some students may require medication to be given during the school day. In White Bear Lake Area Schools, medication is typically administered by the Health Assistant or Licensed School Nurse in the school Health Office. Medication must be provided to school by a parent/guardian in its original, labeled container.

Health Conditions

Hearing and Vision Screening

Students routinely have their hearing and vision screened at school. If further testing is recommended after the screening, you will be notified by the Licensed School Nurse or Health Assistant. If you would like to opt out of screenings, please let your Licensed School Nurse know.

If you have any concerns about your child’s hearing or vision, you can request a screening at any time. Please contact your Licensed School Nurse to request the screening.

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