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As the world returns to normal, so too must our focus on attending school every day. We don't want students to come to school when they are genuinely ill, but we do expect a return to high rates of attendance and low rates of casual absence now that Covid-19 has largely passed.

School absenteeism and truancy can impact significantly on students' learning and wellbeing.

Research shows that in Queensland, higher student attendance is associated, on average, with higher student achievement. Additionally, attending school every day helps children to build social and emotional skills such as communication, teamwork and resilience.

Under the law, you must make sure your child is enrolled and attends school on all school days unless there is a reasonable excuse. Schools must monitor attendance of students and follow up with parents and caregivers any unexplained absences.

[EQ Website accessed 24/4/2023 https://education.qld.gov.au/initiatives-and-strategies/initiatives/every-day-counts/for-parents-and-community]

Changes to how we manage school attendance

We have examined a number of our school processes to ensure legislative responsibilities are being followed. As a result, we need to improve some practices around roll marking and parents/carers are asked to please note improvements to the following processes:

Student is unable to attend

Inform the school of all absences as soon as possible (preferably on the day of the absence), by note, email, SMS or phone call;
We are required to record a reason and determine whether it is an authorised absence or not.

Monitoring regular class attendance

With the creation of our School Engagement team, the Head of Department, Ms Plath and her staff will check absences recorded throughout the day, following up with students, teachers and the home.

Instances of unauthorised absence during the day will be recorded as truancy and the student will be issued with an after-school detention.
We currently send a SMS in the morning for unexplained absences so that parents/carers know if their child has not come to school.
A SECOND text message will be sent in the afternoons starting Week 4 so that parents know if a child is missing from classes during the day.

If it is believed to be an error, we will be checking in person straight after we hear back from parent/carer and then getting back to you.
If the child has deliberately skipped out of a lesson, they are truant and an after school detention will be set.

On time to school

It is critical to be on time for work. School is no different.

Parents/carers are asked to please email or call student services if a student it late due to family obligations or traffic delays. A reason is required.
If students have been at a medical appointment, bringing the appointment slip or calling student services are both accepted as reasonable notification.

'Slept-in' is not an acceptable reason for being late to school.

Illness or appointments during the day

Please avoid making appointments during school time if possible.

If a student falls ill during the day, they can be checked in for 15 minutes to sick bay, then a call to have them collected is made or the student returns to class.

Only actual family emergencies will be permitted 'last minute' types of sign outs.

We can no longer permit signing out students by:

phones calls from parents seeking a sign out during the day unless it is a genuine emergency.
texting home and asking for parent to call in so student can sign out

For Medical appointments:

Students may bring a note from home, have it signed by a DP and then taken to student services.
OR
An email to Student Services from the parent/carer the day before or on the actual morning (before school) of an appointment is also acceptable.
If a specialist, for example, contacts you offering an earlier appointment than expected (due to a cancellation), a sign out must be in person at student services (not by email).

Students are not permitted to call home and be 'signed out' and 'last minute' emails/text messages can only be for emergency reasons which need to be supplied.

Email: studentservices@cairnsshs.eq.edu.au

Approved school absences

Students sometimes engage in activities outside of school which are approved. Excursions and jointly organised programs like Work Experience or Traineeships, TAFE or similar are recorded by the school.

If a student is selected for representative sport and will be absent from school, parents/carers must inform student services of the dates in advance. Senior students can provide this information themselves.
All students are expected to see their teachers before an absence and understand what work they need to do during the absence.

Having the day off for your birthday or to go shopping is not authorised.

Necessary absences of more than 10 school days

Sometimes families travel overseas, or a student may require medical attention and be away from school for longer than 10 days.

Parents/carers must complete an application for exemption and provide a copy of the itinerary or medical certificate so that the Executive Principal can approve this.

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Signing out

As the world returns to normal, so too must our focus on attending school every day. We don't want students to come to school when they are genuinely ill, but we do expect a return to high rates of attendance and low rates of casual absence now that Covid-19 has largely passed.

Changes to how we manage school attendance

We have examined a number of our school processes to ensure legislative responsibilities are being followed. As a result, we need to improve some practices around roll marking and parents/carers are asked to please note improvements to the following processes:

Signing out

​​As the world returns to normal, so too must our focus on attending school every day. We don't want students to come to school when they are genuinely ill, but we do expect a return to high rates of attendance and low rates of casual absence now that Covid-19 has largely passed.

Changes to how we manage school attendance

We have examined a number of our school processes to ensure legislative responsibilities are being followed. As a result, we need to improve some practices around roll marking and parents/carers are asked to please note improvements to the following processes:

As the world returns to normal, so too must our focus on attending school every day. We don't want students to come to school when they are genuinely ill, but we do expect a return to high rates of attendance and low rates of casual absence now that Covid-19 has largely passed.