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Attendance Reporting

Report an Absence

You may report an absence before 2:30 PM the same day, in advance of a future date, or retroactively within two weeks of the missed date.

Only emails from parents and legal guardians are accepted.

Students who are late should go directly to their class, not to the office. 

 

Email Format for Reporting an Absence

Email: sutherland_attendance@sd44.ca

Please ensure the word “absence” or "attendance" appears in the subject line.  

  • Student First Name
  • Student Last Name
  • Grade
  • Date of Absence (full day or portion of the day)
  • Reason for Absence (e.g., illness, appointment, vacation, excused absence).
  • Parent/Guardian Name and Relationship to the Student (only messages from parents and legal guardians are accepted).

Specific absence reasons are required to ensure accurate reporting to the School District.

Alternate Reporting Method

If email is not possible, you may leave a message at 604-903-3500 to report a student absence, late arrival, or early dismissal. If you leave a voicemail, please speak slowly and clearly providing all details listed above.

Students cannot report their own absences. Only messages from parents and legal guardians are accepted.

Following an Absence

Excused absences will be entered into the attendance system so teachers can see that the absence has been excused.

Parents/guardians are encouraged to schedule appointments outside of school hours whenever possible. Students should check with their teachers through MS Teams regarding missed assignments and may also connect with teachers during Tutorial on most mornings.

 

  • If you receive a phone call stating that your child was absent from a class and your child believes they were present, they must speak directly with the teacher who marked them absent. Only the classroom teacher can verify attendance and make any changes. If you would like to contact the teacher, their email addresses are listed on our Contact Us page. 

  • If a student needs to leave the school after classes have begun for any reason, parental permission is required. The student must sign out at the office before leaving. This procedure is extremely important for student safety and in case of an emergency.​​​ Please ensure to email us as soon as a planned absence is known. 

  • The school policy on extended (five or ​more school days) absences for family holidays or for other non-medical reasons is that:

    • The school does not give approval for or recommend such absences.
    • The responsibility for the decision to take a student out of school and the resulting consequences rest with the student and the parent.
    • The school and teaching staff are not expected to make special arrangements for students to make up missed work, learning, or assessments.
    • The parent/guardian must communicate any extended absences to the school – in addition to completing the Sutherland Student Extended Absence Form. Hardcopies of this form can also be picked up in the office. 

  • Attendance Matters! Our goal is to see students in classes daily. Research has shown that students who attend less than 90% of the time have greater academic struggles, disengage from school, and are at risk for not graduating. Whether excused or unexcused, students who miss several consecutive days are at greater risk. Missing only two classes per week adds up to 10% of the school year!

  • Sutherland Secondary strongly encourages students to walk, bike, or take transit to school whenever possible. If you must drop off your child, please do so before 9:00 a.m. 

    Dropping students off shortly before 9:15 a.m. often results in them arriving late to class, which disrupts teachers’ lessons and interferes with other students’ learning. Classes begin at 9:15 a.m., and we expect all students to be seated and ready to learn before the bell sounds.

    When travel by car is necessary, we ask parents to use the designated drop off areas. To ensure safe and efficient traffic flow, please do not stop in the middle of the parking lot or in crosswalks for drop off. Please also note that our parking lots are designed for one way traffic movement only.