Attendance Procedures

The single greatest factor determining the likelihood of high school graduation is school attendance. Opportunities for success during and beyond secondary school are also directly affected by a student’s attitude toward attendance in school. In order to support students to be academically successful and responsible citizens, Butler Middle School expects students to be in class, prepared, and on time each day.

As one of our school goals, Butler Middle School is making an effort to ensure that all students fully benefit from their education by attending school regularly. We have set a schoolwide goal of reducing absenteeism by encouraging students and parents to understand that fewer than 8 absences throughout the year has a tremendous impact on your learning. 

Attending school regularly helps children feel better about school—and themselves. Your child can start building this habit now. Consistent attendance will help children do well in high school, college, and at work.  Research shows that school performance significantly declines once a student exceeds a 10% absentee rate. Students should be in attendance no less than 90% of the time. This includes both excused and unexcused absences. If students fall below the 90% threshold, they are increasing the likelihood that they will not be successful in their coursework and therefore not complete the graduation requirements for high school.

At BMS , students are encouraged to keep their attendance under the following thresholds:

1. No more than 3 unexcused absences per class period during each quarter.
2. No more than 3 tardies per class period during each quarter.
3. No verified truancies in all class periods.
   
   

DID YOU KNOW? 

• Starting in kindergarten, too many absences (excused and unexcused) can cause children to fall behind in school.  
• Missing two days of school per month increases the chance that your student will not read or master math at the same level as their peers. 
• Being late to school can lead to poor attendance.  
• Absences can affect the whole classroom if the teacher has to slow down learning to help children catch up.
• 6th grade and 8th grade absenteeism is one of three signs that a student may drop out of high school. 
• By being present at school, your child learns valuable social skills and has the opportunity to develop meaningful relationships with other students and school staff. 

WHAT WE NEED FROM YOU

We miss our students when they are gone and we value their contributions to our school. We would like you to help ensure that your child attends regularly and is successful in school.  If your student is going to be absent, please contact Ms. Christensen at 801-826-6810.

OUR PROMISE TO YOU

We know there are a wide variety of reasons that students are absent from school, from health concerns to transportation challenges. There are many people in our building prepared to help you if you or your student face challenges in getting to school regularly or on time. We track attendance daily, notice when your student is missing from class, communicate with you to understand why they were absent, and try to identify barriers and supports available to overcome challenges you may face in helping your child attend school. 

If your child is at risk of missing too much school, please feel free to contact our counselors or assistant principals  for assistance. We will be happy to work with you to help your student attend regularly and have greater opportunities for success.

Absences

Any time a student misses class it will be recorded as an absence. Parents must call in to communicate with our attendance office regarding the absence. Once the absence is excused it will be recorded in Skyward as an “E”. As per state code, students will be held harmless for absences that are excused by a parent or guardian. This does not mean that students are not responsible to complete any work that is missed as a result of absences. Students are expected to complete all work, regardless of the type of absence that is recorded. Any absence that is not excused by a parent or guardian will be recorded in Skyward as an “A”.

Verified Truancies

A student who is supposed to be in class but is found elsewhere in the building without an appropriate hall pass will be marked as verified truant. These are typically the most problematic absences in a school setting as most verified truancies are a result of students not going to class but are found in locations where they are not supposed to be.

Tardies

Punctuality is an important life skill, and tardiness is extremely disruptive to the educational process.  A student is considered tardy if they are not in the classroom when the bell rings.  If a student arrives more than 10 minutes late to class it is recorded as a “W” which refers to “Way Late”. This still only counts as a tardy but serves as a reference for teachers, students, and families regarding the significance of the late arrivals.

Check in / Check Out

Students arriving to school late or returning to school from a mid-day appointment should check in at the office. Parents need to call and notify the attendance office when a student is being checked in so we can record it appropriately. If you are checking your child out during the school day, you will need to come into the Main Office and show ID.  Students arriving late to class without parent notification will be marked with a tardy.

Checking on Student Attendance

Student attendance and grades can be checked at home or work over the internet through Skyward.  You can access Skyward from the BMS website (https://butlermiddle.canyonsdistrict.org) or from the CSD Skyward site at https://www.canyonsdistrict.org/skyward/  To access the information you will need your Skyward login information. If you need Skyward help, please contact our Main Office at 801-826-6800.

Excusing/Reporting Absences

Parents may excuse absences by calling the attendance office at 801-826-6810 between 7:30 a.m. and 3:15 p.m. 

ATTENDANCE CHART

We will be sending home an Attendance Cling for you to post on your fridge that will help you keep track of your student’s absences. We ask that you keep track of absences throughout the year.  Achievement data at our school indicates that students who are attending regularly (90% or higher) have higher grades and growth scores.  Sporadic absences and long vacations can be quite detrimental to learning.  We want to help each of our students find success in school. 

Thank you for your support in making this a fantastic school year, as we strive to ensure that all students fully benefit from their education.

Sincerely,
Butler Middle School Administration and Staff 

Below is a list of codes that may appear on Skyward related to your students’ attendance.