Attendance

What do I do if my child will be absent from school?

The parent/guardian will need to call or email the school Attendance Secretary.  Let them know that your child will not be at school today or additional days. 

When your student returns to school send in a written note/email within three school days to the school Attendance Secretary or submit documentation to Skyward.

What does my child do if they are late for school?

In grades, K-8 the parent will have to accompany the student to the school office and sign the student in. 

In grades 9-12, the student will need to report to the Attendance/Main office and receive a pass to attend class.

What are examples of unexcused absences?

Going shopping, visiting relatives, birthdays, refusing to come to school, senior skip day, prom prep day, and vacations are a few examples of unexcused absences.

How many parent notes do students have each school year? 

Parents have five parent notes per semester.  After using five parent notes in a semester other absences are recorded as unexcused. 

What are the reasons for schools to accept a Parent Note based upon School Board Policy?

1. Student’s personal injury or illness;
2. Illness of an immediate family member, with immediate family defined as a parent, sibling, or grandparent;
3. Death of an immediate family member or other individual with principal’s permission;
4. Extreme weather conditions;
5. Religious observances;
6. College or postsecondary visits;
7. Pregnancy;
8. School-sponsored or endorsed activities;
9. Parent/Guardian military deployment or return; or
10. Summons, subpoenas, or court order

A few examples of reasons for tardies/absences/early dismissals that will not be excused are oversleeping, car issues, family vacation, missing the bus not related to bus running late, or any other reason not related to the categories above.

Parent notes that do not list a reason will not be accepted.

To avoid using up all parent notes, please keep in mind that medical issues can always be excused with doctor notes.  No parent note is needed for death in the family if we receive an obituary.  No parent note is needed to excuse a college visit if we get written verification from the college that the student was there.  No parent note is needed for religious observation if we get something from the religious organization verifying the observation.

My child's school bus is not running.  Is staying home an excused absence?

Parents are responsible for making sure their students attend school daily.  Wilson County Schools encourages parents to have back-up plans if a bus is not running.  For example, you could form a carpool and alternate days to pick-up and drop-off students.  Absences due to lack of transportation to school are unexcused.  

Is a death in the family an excused absence and does it count as a parent note?

Death of immediate family member (mother, father, grandparents, brother, or sister (three days) is an excused absence and does not take away from the five parent notes per semester.  Principals may require additional verification.

I have a deployment that is upcoming so how do I get this excused?

Military – Parent/Custodian Deployment/Return - A 10 days excused absence for students when their parent or custodian has a deployment into active military service or returns from active military service. Students can make-up schoolwork missed during the excused absence.  Military deployment/return does not count against the five parent notes per semester.  Principal may require additional verification.

What do I do if my child is required to attend court (ex. Truancy, Custody, etc.)?

Ask the court for an excuse that you can provide the school.  With verification from the court, the absence is marked as excused.

What do I do if my child has an extra-curricular activity that is non-school related and they have to miss school?

Contact the principal at least seven days prior to the event.  The principal will check to see that the student is in good standing (grades, discipline, and attendance) and can approve the absence for no more than ten days per school year.  If the student’s standing is not good, then the principal can deny the request.  Finally, the principal will not approve/excuse absences for extra-curricular non-school related activities during testing.  Please note absences will be coded as parent note(s) and only five will be excused per semester.

What items does the school want on the parent note?

Written documentation shall include the reason for absence, time and duration if an appointment, date, parent signature, and phone number.

My child is marked absent and I sent in a note.

Written documentation must be submitted within three days of the student returning to school.  If not submitted to the Attendance Secretary within this time-period, the absence will be marked unexcused.  Check your Skyward account to ensure that the student turned-in the note.

I cannot get into my Skyward account.

Call your school’s Registrar or Attendance Secretary and they will be able to help. 

How does my student get their driver’s license reinstated?

The student should contact their Attendance Secretary for a Truancy Form.  Please note that if a student missed 10 unexcused days in a row or 15 unexcused days in the semester the driver’s license will be suspended at the conclusion of the semester.  The license can be reinstated with good attendance after the next semester by the Attendance Director.  The Attendance Secretary will contact the Attendance Department at the Central Office and they will provide the Department of Safety and the student with documentation of reinstatement.

How does my child get a Truancy form for their Learners permit or Driver’s License?

Contact the Attendance Secretary at your school.  Please note many schools have summer hours so reach out to them prior to the end of school for assistance.  Also, know that the Attendance Secretary cannot provide a Truancy Form prior to the students fifteenth birthday. 

Will my child get in trouble for tardies to school or class?

The school will follow the guidelines in the Student Handbook under Category 1 Offenses.

Why is my student being sent to court for Truancy?

There are many reasons that a student may appear in court for truancy.  Below are a few:

• The student missed ten days of school in a row.
• The student missed fifteen days during a semester.
• The student’s parents did not work with the school to improve attendance using the Three Tier System (ex. Not returning emails, phone calls, or coming in for meetings – this is a new law).
• The student did not turn in excused absences notes to the Attendance Secretary.
• The student was on a Valid Court Order (VCO) for truancy and missed five more days of school.
• The student misses ten unexcused absences and per School Board Policy, a truancy petition filed.

Can my child receive an excused absence for visiting a college or vocational school?

Two college or vocational visits during the eleventh and twelve grades are amiable for students.  Students have to receive prior approval form the school principal and signed documentation from the institution for which they visited provided.  Return the documentation to the Attendance Secretary upon return to school and within three days.

The school nurse sent my child home. How do I report the absence? 

Students who go home at the direction of the School Nurse are marked as excused.  When the student returns to school the parent will provide a note that states the student was sent home by the Nurse, date, and time, as well as any other instructions by the Nurse.  This type of situation does not count against parent notes. 

My student missed six days in a row and I did not take them to the doctor.  Can I use my parent notes?  

Yes, you can use five parent notes (ex. one per day) and have one unexcused absence.

Homebound instruction may be necessary for Wilson County students who are unable to attend school for two consecutive weeks (10 days) or longer due to medical conditions.  There must be thorough medical justification as it is the most restrictive placement, and should only be used for students who are unable to attend school due to medical or emotional needs and treatment. 

The Application Process

In order to determine if a student is eligible for homebound services, the parent needs to complete an application process.

Parents must ensure that both the completed Homebound Information Application signed by a physician and submitted to the Homebound Coordinator.  Contact information for faxing or mailing these documents is provided on the forms.  The application forms include the current medical diagnosis and treatment plan, supported by documentation from the office visits and/or hospitalization admission and discharge summary.  The Homebound Committee will review all documents submitted. 

Parents will be notified when a determination has been made.  If the student is eligible, parents will be informed of the date services will begin and end.  Parents will then be contacted by a homebound teacher to set up the first visit.  On approval of homebound services, be aware that students will be prohibited from participating in after-school activities or working an after-school job.  

Homebound Services

Once homebound services begin, the homebound teacher is responsible for collecting assignments, providing these to the student and supporting with needed instruction, and returning the completed work to the classroom teacher.  Any outstanding or unfinished work remaining after homebound services is terminated becomes the student’s responsibility. 

Homebound services are provided in the home with a responsible adult present at all times or online using a virtual classroom.  Students are expected to adhere to the same School Board Policies as if they were attending school. 

It is important to remember that students may, in some cases, return to school still behind in their classwork since often students are seriously ill and cannot maintain the pace of the classroom.  Communication between home and school is critical as the student returns to ensure a smooth transition back to the school setting.

Parents in Tennessee may choose to home school their own children in grades K-12. The Tennessee Home School law (Tennessee Code Annotated 49-6-3050) states that a “home school” is a school conducted or directed by a parent or parents, or a legal guardian or guardians, for their own children.”

The Wilson County School District strives to be the first choice for families in Wilson County but realizes that some families will choose to home school. We have provided information that will assist you in making your educational choice. Parents desiring to home school their own children may do so by choosing one of the following three options:

Home schooled students not enrolled with a home school agency such, as a Category IV church-related umbrella school or an accredited online school must register their child with the school district as Independent Home School.

For more information, visit the following resources:

Independent Home School

The Tennessee Notice of Intent to Home School is required as notice of your intent to conduct a home school. This form is to be completed only by the parent(s) or legal guardian(s) conducting a home school under the supervision of the superintendent of a local education agency (LEA).
A child must be enrolled each year the child is home schooled. During the school year, should home schooling stop or a family moves out of the school district, Wilson County Schools must be notified. In addition to notifying the school system, families will have to submit an attendance calendar that is up to date.

Parents must provide a copy of your child(ren)'s immunization records on the Official Tennessee Certificate of Immunization.

Provide proof of the required parent(s) or legal guardian(s) education credentials (High School diploma, GED or College degree/transcripts)

The parent/legal guardian is required to keep an attendance calendar that shows the child(ren) are receiving a minimum of at least 4 hours of instruction per day for 180 instruction days. Failure to provide attendance records will consider the student truant and warrant juvenile truancy proceedings.

New Residents to Wilson County may be required to provide additional information. Contact the Home School Department at (615) 444-3282.

Church-related Umbrella School

Parents may home school their own child(ren) by registering with a church-related “umbrella” school defined by (TCA 49-50-801). Parents who choose this option will be required to provide evidence to the local school district that their child has enrolled in a state approved church-related school. An Intent to Home School form is not required for students who enroll in a church-related school. The church-related school will determine record keeping and test requirements for students enrolled in an umbrella program.

Accredited Online School

Parents may also enroll their child(ren) in an accredited online school. Parents choosing this educational option must be sure to determine that the school has legitimate accreditation status and will be required to provide evidence to the local school district that their child has enrolled in an accredited online school.

TN DOE Homeschooling in Tennessee

TN DOE Intent to Home School Form

TN DOE Non-Public Schools Information & School Listing

Homeschooling in Tennessee