We miss your student when they are gone and value their contributions to our school. We would like you to help ensure that your student attends regularly and is successful in school. If your student is absent, please contact our Attendance Secretary, Naree Crabb at (360) 277-2294.

Students are required by law to attend a minimum of 27 hours each week in learning activities.  Following is an outline of our attendance policy.

•  If there is no student contact in five consecutive days, the school is advised to inform the parent in writing or by phone of the potential consequences of additional unexcused absences. Consequences include, but are not limited to, attending Friday School, assigning a 5th or 6th period (3rd session) class, and in cases where attendance is not improving, students may be dropped from the program.

•  If there is no student contact in 10 consecutive school days, the school is advised to initiate a conference with the parent/guardian and student to determine a strategy to achieve weekly contact.  The strategy should include the action to be taken if there is no contact in five consecutive days following the conference.  The school district may refer the case to a Community Truancy Board or file a truancy petition with the juvenile court.

•  If the student fails to attend the initial scheduled conference, the school district may immediately refer the case to a Community Truancy Board or file a truancy petition with the juvenile court.

•  If the parent/guardian does not attend the initial scheduled conference, the conference may be held with the student and the school official and, the parent/guardian will be notified of the strategies agreed upon to achieve weekly contact.

James A. Taylor High School is required to take daily attendance and notify you when your student has an unexcused absence.  If your student has two unexcused absences in one month, state law (RCW 28A.225.020) requires we schedule a conference with you and your student to identify the barriers and supports available to ensure regular attendance.  The district is obligated to develop a plan that may require an assessment to determine how to best meet the needs of your student and reduce absenteeism.

A conference is not required if your student has provided a doctor’s note, or pre-arranged the absence in writing, and the parent, student and school have made a plan so your student does not fall behind academically.  If your student has an Individualized Education Plan or a 504 Plan the team that created the plan needs to reconvene.

If your student does not meet the weekly contact requirements, we are required to file a petition with the Juvenile court, alleging a violation of RCW 28A.225.010, the mandatory attendance laws.  The petition may be automatically stayed and your student and family may be referred to a Community Truancy Board, or you and your student may need to appear in Juvenile Court.  If your student continues to be truant you may need to go to court.

At JTHS, we have established the following procedures on attendance that will help you ensure your student is attending regularly.

1. Students attend session 1 and 2.

2. Students who arrive late MUST check into the office and provide the Attendance Secretary with a note signed by a parent/guardian excusing the tardiness/absence.

3. Students leaving early MUST provide a note to the Attendance Secretary prior to leaving or the absences will be unexcused.

4. When your student misses a day, parents or guardians must call the Attendance Secretary to excuse the absence the day they miss or the following day, otherwise the absence may be unexcused.