Attendance Procedures
Attendance Line: 403-777-8670 ext. 1.
Janet Johnstone School has a safety phone-in attendance policy. Parents are asked to phone the school prior to 8:00 AM, at 403-777-8670 ext.1, if their child is going to be absent or late. Please notify the office, not the teacher, of your child’s absence or if they will be late. Your child's safety is important to us. We depend on you to phone us to let us know where your child is.
Regular attendance and being on time are important to a child’s learning and social-emotional well-being. The School Act states that under Compulsory Education Section 13(5) a student is excused from attending school on a day on which the school is open if:
a) The student is unable to attend by reason of sickness or other unavoidable cause
b) The day is recognized as a religious holiday by the religious denomination to which the student belongs
c) The principal of the school has suspended the student from school and the suspension is still in effect.
An absence for any other reason or without a reason is entered as an unexcused absence in the student’s attendance record.
Arriving On Time
Classes start at 8:00AM. Students can enter through their regular doors between 7:50 AM and 8:00 AM for soft start. They will be supervised in their classrooms until the bells rings at 8:00AM. No outside supervision is provided except for a member of the administrative team supervising on the sidewalk and a teacher supervising at the kindergarten doors.
Students who arrive after the bell will need to enter by the front door and come to the office to get a welcome slip. Office staff will record their attendance and make sure that they get to their classroom. Please do not knock on the doors; for safety reasons, our staff and students do not open them.
Entry & Exit Procedures
Students are expected to:
- Enter and leave the building through their designated doors.
- Carry boots and outdoor shoes to and from their classroom.
- Remove hats when they enter the building. Hats or toques are not to be worn inside during the school day.
- Meet family/friends or daycare provider at an agreed upon meeting spot outside after school.
After School
After school, children meet their caregivers at a place outside the school and are encouraged to go home first before making play arrangements. There is no supervision by school staff after 2:30 PM. Students should not play on the field or on the creative playground unless they are accompanied by an adult caregiver.
Children who are not picked up at their door after school will be brought to the office. There is no childcare after school. Please pick your child up promptly at 2:30PM Monday to Thursday and 12:00PM on Fridays.
Student Extended Absences
While it is recognized that enrichment activities or travel present unique learning opportunities for students, excessive or frequent absences create gaps in student learning and social development. Parents/guardians are expected to fill out an Extended Absence Form if their child will be away from school for more than 2 weeks. Please contact the office to get the form.
It is not the responsibility of the teacher or the school to provide any materials or communicate with parents during their trip. Parents can check their child's Google Classroom for information about learning activities when they are away but should not expect teachers to provide information on an individual basis during their child’s absence.
Leaving Early
For security reasons, parents should call the office to let us know that they will be picking up their child(ren) early for an appointment. Like arriving late for school, students miss important learning and social opportunities when they leave early.
Advance written confirmation and a contact phone number is also required from a parent if someone other than the parent/guardian is picking up the child, and they need to carry proper identification. No student will be dismissed to an alternate individual without prior consent.