Attendance Information
The Board requires that school age students enrolled in District schools attend school regularly, in accordance with state laws. Important highlights of the Pennsylvania School Code that parents should take note include:
- A parent note is required for all absences within three days of the absence. All absences are considered unexcused or unlawful until the school receives a written note, email, or PickUp Patrol note (for elementary and middle school students) documenting a valid reason for the absence. While parents may also call the school to report an absence, a phone call alone is not sufficient to excuse the absence and documentation is needed by the school office staff.
- Within a school year, a student may have a total of 10 illness absences excused with parent notes. After 10 days of illness, a doctor’s note will be required to excuse each illness absence.
- At the high school, if an absence is unlawful or unexcused (i.e., without a parent or doctor's note), the student is not eligible to receive credit for work completed during the absence.
The bullets above are only highlights of the law. Please refer to Policy 204 and its Administrative Guidelines for complete information. Because attendance is a critical piece of student success, our staff is proactive in working with families to understand attendance policies. Should you have questions about the policy and procedures, or have concerns about your child's attendance, please contact your school principal or social worker.
Reporting an Absence
Families are to notify GVMS before 7:30 a.m. to report their child's absence. The PickUp Patrol (PUP) system is the encouraged method for reporting student absences. PUP is a secure web app that eliminates the need for you to send notes, write emails, or call the school to change your student’s dismissal plans. Your school will send an email at the beginning of every school year that includes sign-up information for your family (PUP is not accessed through app stores).
Learn about PickUp Patrol by clicking here.
PUP should be used to report student absence, or to notify the school about a late arrival.
Absences from the Middle School may also be emailed to: GVMSattendance@gvsd.org
Please note that in the absence of a notification, the school will call home to verify the student's absence.