Regular attendance is key to student success. When students are in school, they learn more, connect with teachers, and stay on track.

However, we understand that absences are sometimes unavoidable. Use this page to find information about how to submit absences and understand our absenteeism policies.

Submit Absences

If your student will be absent or late to school, please submit the absence before 9 a.m. using one of the following options:

1. Call your child’s school.

Find your school’s attendance line or the secretary’s contact information.

2. Submit the absence via PowerSchool

  • Log in to PowerSchool’s parent portal through a web browser.
    • IMPORTANT: This cannot be done via the PowerSchool app. You must use a web browser on your computer or phone.
  • Select the student.
  • Select “Attendance Monitor” from the menu.
  • Click the “Report New Attendance” button.
  • Enter the date(s) for the absence.
    • If this is not a whole-day absence, choose “no” from the dropdown and enter the start and end times.
  • Enter the explanation for the absence.
  • Click “Submit.”

You will receive a confirmation email. (Note: the email comes from noreply@waukeeschools.org and may end up in the SPAM folder.)

For more details, see these step-by-step instructions or watch this video.

Absenteeism Policy

  • Chronic absenteeism is defined as missing 10% of school (5 days in a quarter).
  • When a student is absent for 10%, the District is required to notify the county attorney and send a notice to parents.
  • When a student is absent for 15%, and the school determines that the absences are negatively affecting the student’s academic progress, a school official will schedule a school engagement meeting with the student and family.
  • Truancy is defined as missing 20% of school (9 days in a quarter).

 

Here’s what this means for families:

Attendance Tracking

We will be closely monitoring attendance to ensure compliance with the new law.

At the elementary level:

  • Attendance is recorded four times daily.
  • Students who arrive at school more than 15 minutes late will be reported absent.
  • Students taken out of school for 60 minutes or more during the academic day will be considered absent in quarter day increments.

At the secondary level:

  • Attendance is taken each period or block.
  • Students who arrive to their first assigned class more than 15 minutes late will be reported absent.
  • After the school day has started, students who are tardy 5 minutes or more to any classes, after their first class, will be reported as absent in the attendance system.
  • Students checked out of school by a parent during the academic day for half of the period/block or longer will be considered absent for that period/block.

 

Excused Absences

We will allow two health-related excused absences in a quarter (i.e., fever). More than two health related absences in any quarter may require documentation throughout the remainder of the year in order to be excused. Please inform your school of all absences and provide necessary documentation at the start of the school day. When a nurse sends a student home for health-related reasons, the absence is medically excused.

Per Iowa Code, the following are exempt absences:

  • College/trade school visits
  • Funerals and weddings
  • Religious holidays
  • Military events

The following are NOT exempt:

  • Family vacations
  • Club sports
  • Attending activities as a spectator

 

More Information

Please read the following policies for full details: