Attendance
My child has a cough or runny nose, can I send them to school?
Information for Parents
Attendance & Absence Procedures
At Hukerenui School we believe student attendance is crucial to ongoing student achievement. It is a legal requirement that all children over the age of 6 must attend school. Once a child commences school, usually at age 5, they are considered part of the school system and are expected to attend regularly.
The procedures outlined here are in accordance with Ministry of Education requirements.
What happens if your child is absent?
1. Teachers take the roll twice a day; at 8:45am and 1:35pm using the electronic Student Management System (SMS) eTAP.
2. Between 9:00 – 9:30am and 1:40pm – 1:50pm the Office will identify students who are absent.
3. If no explanation has been received by the school, the Office will contact a parent/caregiver. If an explanation is received this will be recorded into eTAP and the appropriate absence code will be used.
4. If possible please advise the school of an impending absence ahead of time. When this is not possible, please inform the school as soon as possible after the absence.
5. Children who are absent are recorded with a ‘?’ until an explanation is provided. Hukerenui School only accepts explanations from a parent / caregiver in regards to student absences via the following methods:
a. a phone call or phone message left on the school answer phone
b. a face-to-face explanation
c. a signed note
d. a text message to the school cell phone or an email to the office stating:
i. the student’s name
ii. the date of the absence and the reason for it
6. The ‘?’ remains in place until an explanation (as outlined above) for the child’s absence has been provided. After 5 days if no explanation has been provided eTAP will automatically change the ‘?’ to a ‘T’ - Truant.
7. Teachers use the following codes to record absences:
J Justified Absence – the absence is justified within school procedure.
M Medical – student is absent due to a short term illness / medical reasons. Please note: If a child is absent for 4 or more continuous days the school requires a certificate from a health professional.
E Explained Absence – the explanation is accepted by the school as the reason for the absence but it is not a justifiable reason for the student to be absent.
What happens if your child is late?
1. Children who arrive at school late (from 8:46am to 10:45am) must report to the office and receive a late pass which they take with them to class. The office records the time the child arrived and the reason why they were late into eTAP.
2. If a child arrives at school after 10:45am they are considered absent for Session 1.
Can I request homework for my child?
Yes if an impending absence is for five school days or more. Contact your child’s teacher to request work. Work will not normally be provided for absent students under any other circumstances.
