Welcome to the PCTVS Attendance Office

The PCTVS Attendance Office supports students, families, and staff in maintaining accurate attendance records and addressing attendance-related concerns. We understand that regular attendance is critical to student success, and our team is dedicated to ensuring that every student at PCTVS is present, engaged, and prepared to learn.

Our Mission

The mission of the PCTVS Attendance Office is to promote and uphold the district's attendance policies by maintaining accurate records, addressing truancy issues, and supporting students and families. We work collaboratively with school staff, including teachers, counselors, and administrators, to identify attendance challenges and implement effective solutions.

Key Services and Responsibilities

Our office plays a vital role in our students' academic journey.

We are responsible for:

Attendance Monitoring and Reporting:

We diligently monitor student attendance and ensure that records are updated. This includes processing excused and unexcused absences, tardies, and early dismissals. Our team works closely with faculty to track and report attendance for all school-related activities, such as field trips and special events.

Truancy Intervention and Support:

In chronic absenteeism or truancy cases, the Attendance Office intervenes to provide necessary support. We collaborate with the Student Success Office, guidance counselors, and families to address the root causes of absenteeism and develop strategies to improve attendance.

Communication with Families:

Keeping families informed is a top priority. The Attendance Office sends attendance letters, including notifications of unexcused absences, tardy notices, and other relevant communications. We strive to ensure that parents and guardians know their child's attendance status and any potential issues that may arise.

Student Attendance Conferences:

Our team organizes and participates in student attendance conferences when concerns arise. These meetings, involving students, parents, and school staff, are designed to develop action plans that address attendance issues and set students on the path to success.

Support for Students on Extended Absences:

The Attendance Office supports students absent for extended periods due to illness or other legitimate reasons. We work with teachers, school counselors, and the district's health office to ensure these students stay on track with their academic responsibilities.

Important Information for Students and Parents

Attendance Policy:

Adhering to the district’s attendance policy is essential for every student’s academic success. Please review the PCTVS Attendance Policy (5200) or detailed information on attendance requirements, excused absences, and the procedures for reporting absences.

Code of Student Conduct:

Regular attendance is not only an expectation but a responsibility. The Code of Student Conduct (Regulation 5600) outlines the consequences for unexcused absences and tardiness and the protocols for managing truancy.

Important Information:

Denial of Course Credit

A student may be denied credit for a course when he/she has been absent from school or the course for more than 18 days or more of class sessions in a full-year course, more than six days or more of class sessions in a trimester course, or more than 4.5 days in a quarter-year course, whatever the reason for the absence, except for specific reasons outlined in district policy.

Students who have lost credit due to attendance violations may be eligible to retake a full-year course (120 hours) by enrolling in an approved NJDOE credit recovery program.

Per Policy/Regulation 5410, a student may be retained or lose credit for a course(s) when he/she has not attended school for at least 155 of 180 days of the school year. The absences recorded for this student may be excused or unexcused except in the circumstances cited in the applicable statute(s).

Tardy To Class

PCTVS will consider any unauthorized or unexcused tardy of 20 minutes or more during an assigned class. In addition, all tardies, regardless of length of time, will be subject to disciplinary action.

Students who arrive at a scheduled course after the passing bell rings without a valid pass will be considered tardy. A student arriving at school after 8:10 a.m. is considered tardy and must report directly to the Attendance Office. · Three (3) unauthorized or unexcused tardies to any course will equate to one (1) cut. · Twelve (12) unauthorized or unexcused tardies to any full-year course during the school year will equal four (4) cuts and will result in a credit loss in the course. · Unauthorized or unexcused tardies of 20 minutes or more to school or any course will result in an issued cut.

Unexcused Absences

A court referral may be made as follows:

When school officials determine unexcused absences that count toward truancy to be violations of the compulsory education law, under N.J.S.A. 18A:38-25 and the Board of Education's policies, following N.J.A.C. 6A:16-7.6(a), the parent may be referred to Municipal Court.A written report of the actions the school has taken regarding the student's attendance shall be forwarded to the Municipal Court, or when there is evidence of a juvenile family crisis, according to N.J.S.A. 2A:4A-22.g, the student may be referred to the Superior Court, Chancery Division, Family Part. A written report of the school's actions regarding the student's attendance shall be forwarded to the Juvenile Family Crisis Intervention Unit.

Students absent from school for any reason are responsible for completing assignments missed because of their absence. Following N.J.S.A. 18A:36-14, a student who is absent from school for observing a religious holiday shall not be deprived of any award, eligibility, or opportunity to compete for any award or deprived of the right to take an alternate test or examination that was missed because of the absence, provided there is a written excuse of such absence signed by the parent.

Prolonged or repeated absences, excused or unexcused, from school or class deprive students of the educational and classroom experiences deemed essential to learning and may result in retention at grade level or loss of credit or removal from a course that would count toward the high school diploma per policies of the PCTVS Board of Education.

Students shall be subjected to the school district’s response for unexcused absences that count toward truancy during the school year as outlined in N.J.A.C. 6A:16-7.6(a)4 and Regulation 5200.

Unexcused absences from school or classes within the school day may subject a student to consequences, including denial of a student’s participation in co-curricular activities and athletic competition. Repeated absences from school interfere with the efforts of the PCTVS Board of Education and its staff to maintain good order and the continuity of classroom instruction, and such absences may result in the student's removal from a class or course of study.

Early Student Pick-ups

We are committed to ensuring a safe and efficient dismissal process for all our students. To facilitate this, we ask that all early student pickups from the Attendance Office happen before 2:30 p.m. on regular dismissal days and by 12:15 p.m. on early dismissal days.

Adhering to these times helps us organize school bus staging, reduce congestion, and ensure the safety of all students.

Your cooperation in following these early student pickup times is greatly appreciated. Should you need to pick up your child after the times referenced above, we ask that you contact your child’s dedicated attendance officer to make special arrangements.

We thank you for your understanding and support.

Contact Us

If you have any questions or concerns regarding attendance, please do not hesitate to contact the PCTVS Attendance Office Our dedicated staff is here to assist you and ensure that all students have the opportunity to achieve their full potential.