Trumbauersville Elementary School

April 1, 2021

Dear Parents/Guardians,

At Trumbauersville Elementary, the most important part to the start of our school day is ensuring that all of our students arrive safely at school.

In looking for a way to increase our efficiency in this process, we (along with the QCHS and Neidig Elementary School) are piloting a new student attendance system called SafeArrival.  It is our hope that this new system will make it easy for families to report their child’s absence, reduce the time it takes to verify student attendance each day, and enhance the tracking of unverified student absences.

With SafeArrival, families can report their child’s absence using any of these 3 convenient methods:

1. Using a mobile device; download and install the SchoolMessenger app from the Apple App Store or the Google Play Store (or from the links at https://go.schoolmessenger.com). Please note that the first time you use the app, you will need to select Sign Up to create your account. To enter an absence, select Attendance then, Report an Absence.      

2. Use the SafeArrival website; https://go.schoolmessenger.com. The first time you use the website, you will need to select Sign Up to create your account. Then, select Attendance and finally, Report an Absence.      

3. Call the toll-free number; 1-833-834-4911 and report an absence using the automated phone system. 

These options are available 24 hours/day, 7 days a week.  Future absences can be reported at any time.

In addition, we will use the SchoolMessenger Communicate automated notification system to contact parents/guardians whose child is absent but, absence was not reported in advance. The automated notification system will attempt to contact parents by both phone call and email until a reason is submitted for the absence. If our system is unable to reach the designated contacts, office office staff will follow up, in person.

If you report your child’s absence in advance using the SafeArrival mobile app, website, or toll-free number, you will NOT receive the SchoolMessenger Communicate notifications.

SafeArrival is up and running for Trumbauersville Elementary.   Parent/guardians are free to use this program starting immediately.  Beginning on April 12th, we will officially launch SafeArrival and SchoolMessenger Communicate.  We ask that all parents/guardians please report absences using SafeArrival rather than sending notes or calling/emailing the school, starting on April 12th.  

As a tip for our families, we suggest that you save the toll-free number (1-833-834-4911) as a “SafeArrival” contact in your phone. Doing this makes it easy to have the toll free number on hand for you to easily report an absence ( if you wish to call the number instead of using the app) and it is helpful to see “SafeArrival” as a contact if the school is calling you to verify an unreported absence. 

If you have children attending other schools in Quakertown, please continue to report absences using the existing procedures for those schools.

Thank you for your patience and cooperation as we implement this new system.  If you have any questions, please contact Mrs. Haslett in the front office at 215-529-2550.

Sincerely,

-Adam

______________________________

Adam Schmucker

Principal

Trumbauersville Elementary School

Attendance Procedures to Reflect Pennsylvania State Law

Dear Parent/Legal Guardian:
The start of school provides an opportunity to explain attendance procedures.The purpose of this letter is to promote positive attendance as required by Pennsylvania state laws and the No Child Left Behind federal law. Please take a few moments to read through this information as it pertains to Pennsylvania laws and regulations and QCSD policies.

Absences
Ø All absences require that a written excuse be submitted to the school within three (3) days of the student' s return to school. If a written excuse is not submitted to the classroom teacher (elementary level) or school secretary (secondary level) within that time period, the absence is recorded as unexcused and is deemed by the state to be an illegal absence.Phone calls, faxes, and/or emails notifying the school that a child is absent are appreciated, but these forms of communication do not replace a written excuse. A written excuse documenting an absence is required under the state' s compulsory attendance laws.

• A written excuse must contain the following information: (1) name of the student; (2) student grade level; (3) the date(s) of the absence; (4) the reason for the absence; and (5) a parent or legal guardian' s signature.
• Parents/guardians are not required to use the district' s official excuse form, which is a small form titled "Legal Form for Absence or Tardiness -Quakertown Community School District." It is only required that the excuse be written and includes the information listed above.

Excessive Absences
Ø In cases where a student has accumulated ten (10) or more days of absences (including educational trip requests), parents/legal guardians will be notified that future absences will require an excuse signed by a doctor.

Tardiness
Ø Students must be in the classroom by the defined start of the school day. If not, they are considered tardy to school. Once again, a written excuse, which contains the same information as an absence excuse and signed by a parent, is required. Minutes of unexcused tardy time will accumulate and can be compiled as unexcused absences.

• Senior High School and Freshman Center: 8:00 AM
• Middle Schools: 7:15 AM
• Elementary Schools: 9:10 AM

Ø Students entering the building after the defined start of the school day must enter through the main entrance and stop at the main office (elementary) or attendance office (secondary) for a pass before being admitted to the classroom. Parents of elementary students must enter with the student to sign excuse forms.

Family Trip Leave
Ø In order for days out of school to be approved for family trips, the "Educational Trip Request Form" must be submitted to the building principal a minimum of 10 days prior to the trip. Please note that trips will not be approved during the first two weeks of school, in cases of excessive absences, during standardized testing windows, or if the child is in academic jeopardy. Please refer to the reverse-side of the request form for additional guidelines.

State Compulsory Attendance Laws
Ø The state' s compulsory attendance laws provide consequences for failure to submit written excuses. When a student accumulates a minimum of three (3) unexcused absences, parents/legal guardians will be notified by a document known as a "First Legal Notice." This document lists the dates of unexcused absences and serves to remind parents/legal guardians that written excuses must be submitted for all future absences. Once an absence is determined to be unexcused, it cannot be changed to an excused absence.
Ø If a student accumulates an additional unexcused absence after a First Legal Notice has been served, the parent/legal guardian will be cited for a violation of the compulsory attendance laws of Pennsylvania. A citation is issued through the office of a District Court Justice. A parent/legal guardian has fifteen (15) days in which to respond to the citation. Responses include (1) paying the fine or (2) requesting a hearing before the District Justice.Failure to do either within 15 days results in the issuance of a bench warrant against the parent/legal guardian.
Thank you in advance for your attention to this information.
Sincerely,

Quakertown Community School District Principals
To download the letter above, click here.
To download the State Basic Education Circular on Compulsory Attendance, click here.
To download the Educational Trip Request Form,click here.