Absence Reporting

Will your student be absent? Tell us!

Skyward Family Access (instructions on this page)
Call the attendance office

360-412-4824

Attendance Office Professional
Lisa Beckley

Absences will be recorded as excused only if appropriate documentation is received. Students are expected to attend all classes each day. A student returning to school after an absence reports directly to class and is expected to make up all missed work.

How Attendance Works at Ridge

The first bell rings at 7:25 am. Attendance is taken at 7:30 am in the classroom.

If a student is late, they must check into the office to obtain a pass to class. Late bus? Obtain a class to pass, but it will not count as a tardy.

Students are responsible for missed work due to absences.
Excused Absences: Absences are excused only in the case of illness, medical or dental appointments, bereavement, family emergencies, court appearances, or pre-approved absences.
To excuse an absence, notify the school on the morning of the absence.
Unexcused absences are for reasons not listed above. Sleeping late is not an accepted reason for an absence.
If there are unexcused absences for one-half day or more on seven or more days in a calendar month and/or ten in a year, NTPS may file a petition with juvenile court.

Attendance Matters at NTPS

What is good attendance?

Why is good attendance important?

Three levels of absence issues, from satisfactory, warning, and chronic absence issues.

When attendance is good, they do well in school! Regular attendance ensures that:

Preschoolers build skills and develop good habits for showing up on time
Elementary students read well by the end of 3rd grade
Middle & high schoolers stay on track for graduation

When do absences become a problem?

Satisfactory: 9 or fewer absences means your student can keep up and keep learning!
Warning Signs: 10 to 17 absences in a school year mean your student will miss a lot and struggle to keep up!
Chronic Absence: 18 or more days in a year (2 days a month) is enough to warrant meeting with the student and your family to discuss any challenges that we may help overcome.

What happens in a student misses too much school?

Too many absences—excused or unexcused—can keep students from succeeding in school and in life. Students who miss more than 1 school day a month become at risk for longer-term challenges. For example:

Half of the students, who miss 2 to 4 days in September, go on to miss nearly one month of school;
Chronically absent (2 days a month) students are more likely to drop out of high school;
Chronically absent kindergartners score 20 percent lower in reading and math in later grades;
Student absences in 8th grade are 8 times more predictive of 9th grade course failure than test scores;
Chronic absenteeism is the strongest 6th grade predictor of not graduating from high school.

That’s why if your student has two unexcused absences in one month, state law (RCW 28A.225.020) requires that schools schedule a family conference with the student to identify barriers and supports available to ensure regular attendance.