Attendance

AAECS uses School Dismissal Manager to track student dismissals and absences.

Through SDM, parents can check-in upon arrival when picking up their child, sign them in late from their car or send an excuse note for an absence. Parents can communicate changes in the app on a daily or weekly occurrence or on a one-time basis as needed. When the child is dismissed, parents receive an alert. See this video to learn how we use SDM to manage our parent pick-up line! 

Contact [email protected] with any questions.

SDM Logo


Arrival

Arrival begins at 8:00 am. Parents should not arrive earlier, as there is very limited space in our parking lot for a line to form. For parent drop-off, it is essential that parents stay in their vehicles to ensure arrival proceeds safely and efficiently. AAECS faculty will open the door to assist students out and escort students to the building.

Lateness

The school day begins at 8:30 am. Students arriving after 8:30 am are considered tardy. Students are not penalized for lateness if parents were in the drop-off line by 8:30 or for buses or daycares that arrive late.

Students arriving after 11:00 am are marked as a half-day absence. Parents who need to pick their child up early from school must send in a note. Phone calls will be accepted but we ask that the calls be made prior to 2:00 pm.

Parents arriving late can use our School Dismissal Manager app to notify us of their arrival and indicate the reason. A staff member will greet them at the door to escort the student in without the parent having to park or leave their car.

Dismissal

Dismissal begins at 3:10 pm. Parents are NOT to arrive earlier. Our lot will be full very quickly, and parents will be redirected to leave and return when the line is moving. All parents picking up their child from school must indicate this in our School Dismissal Manager app. Parents will check in once on site and students will be brought to their vehicle.

Reporting an Absence

Parents are encouraged to use the School Dismissal Manager app to notify us as an absence. Other options include sending a note to your child's teacher, sending a Jupiter message to your child's teacher, sending a message from an email address we have on file or to complete our Online Absence Request Form. Excuse notes or messages must provide an allowable reason for the child's absence and must be received no more than 3 days after the child's return to school. Excuse notes, written or e-mailed, cannot be accepted after the third day upon the student's return to school.

Absence Notifications

Parents can see their child's absence and choose to receive a notification that they have been marked absent via email or text by choosing this option under Settings in Jupiter.

Medical Excuses

Ten excused absences are permitted per school year. After the tenth absence, a medical excuse note will be required for all further absences. Students experiencing Covid-like symptoms are to stay home until these symptoms have resolved. Students under quarantine for Covid exposure or a positive Covid test are excused and not to return to school until the student recieves a negative test result. The school nurse must be informed of a positive Covid test.

For all other absences, a note from a medical physician is required for three or more consecutive days.

Truancy

Unexcused absences become unlawful after the third day upon a student's return from an absence without a note indicating an allowable absence. Parents will receive a written notice after three unlawful absences. For each following unlawful absence, the parent will receive a second or third notice. The school will provide resources and support for students struggling to attend school, including but not limited to: counseling services, referral to the Student Assistance Program or connection with community organizations.

The following are allowable excuses for a student absence:

  1. Illness, including if a student is dismissed by designated school staff during school hours for health-related reasons.

  2. Obtaining professional health care or therapy service rendered by a licensed practitioner of the healing arts in any state, commonwealth or territory.

  3. Quarantine.

  4. Family emergency.

  5. Recovery from accident.

  6. Required court attendance.

  7. Death in family.

  8. Participation in a project sponsored by a statewide or countywide 4-H, FFA or combined 4-H and FFA group, upon prior written request.

  9. Observance of a religious holiday observed by bona fide religious group, upon prior written parental request.

  10. Nonschool-sponsored educational tours or trips, if the following conditions are met:

    • The parent/guardian submits a written request for excusal prior to the absence.

    • The student's participation has been approved by the CEO or designee.

    • The adult directing and supervising the tour or trip is acceptable to the parents/guardians and the CEO.

  11. Other urgent reasons. Urgent reasons shall be strictly construed and do not permit irregular attendance.

The school may limit the number and duration of nonschool-sponsored educational tours or trips and college or postsecondary institution visits for which excused absences may be granted to a student during the school year.

If your family is experiencing a hardship or homelessness, please see our SAP page for resources or contact Mrs. Geyer, Student Services Coordinator for assistance.