WSHS Attendance Plan 2024-2025
WSHS Community:
As stated in the 2nd semester of last school year, WSHS is on a mission to improve attendance!
Included in this message is a list of FAQs – Frequently Asked Questions that will guide our WSHS community through the joint effort to improve our attendance during the 2024-25 school year!
**See the data below from the 2023-24 school year that indicates that Winter Springs High School MUST improve our attendance for the 2024-25.
**Students with 15 or more absences (ALL ABSENCES include both excused and unexcused combined)
WSHS 51%
Seminole 42%
Lake Mary 42%
Oviedo 32%
Lake Brantley 31%
**Students with 10 or more UNEXCUSED absences
WSHS 48%
Seminole 48%
Lake Mary 37%
Lake Brantley 33%
Lyman 30%
FAQs Frequently Asked Questions about Attendance at WSHS:
- What is the WSHS Attendance and Contact information? How do we report an absence and what is the differentiation between absences?
WINTER SPRINGS HIGH SCHOOL
ATTENDANCE EXCUSED NOTES: [email protected]
EXCUSED:
The parents of the student must report and explain the cause of absence to the appropriate school personnel within 48 hours of absence.
PROVIDE, UP TO TEN (10),WRITTEN DOCUMENTS VIA EMAIL OR HAND NOTES
EMAIL CONTACT:
[email protected]
OR
Please submit handwritten notes to Front Office (Box Labeled: Notes)
MEDICAL:
A written document provided by a health care professional that excuses you from school.
SUBMIT DOCTOR’S NOTES TO SCHOOL NURSE OR WSHSATTENDANCE EMAIL
Clinic Supervisor: Mrs. Hill Front Office Room: 01-123
UNEXCUSED:
An absence that does not meet state guidelines and/or appropriate documentation has not been provided to the school that excuses the absence.
FLORIDA STATUTE1003.27:
A student who accumulates 15 or more unexcused absences within 90 days with or without the knowledge or consult of the student's parent shall be classified as a habitual truant.
If a student becomes a habitual truant, the school administration shall refer matters to the Legal Services Department.
- What do I do if my student is going to be absence AND I would like the absence to be excused? This answer is contained below:
Dear Winter Springs High School Parent(s)/Legal Guardian(s):
My name is Cyril Paul Robertson, and I am the Instructional Paraprofessional for the GOAL/PLATO Credit Recovery Program. I am also one of the attendance operators for the school. First, thank you for using the [email protected] email for absentee/doctor's note inquiries. We truly appreciate that. However, we wanted to bring this issue to your attention. As of lately, we have received tons of absentee notes from parents and or legal guardians with little-to-no details as to who their students are- not providing last name, first name, what date(s) said students were absent for, and the reasoning as to why they were absent in the first place. Parents/Guardians, when you give us your student’s full name, the dates, and the reasoning, it helps us to code/correct attendance a lot faster. Attached to this email is a template for how you can format your parent notes, whether you send in a physical note to the front desk or an electronic note to our school-wide attendance email. In the attachment, there are two note templates. Note-template #1 is for students who were absent in the past. Note-template #2 is for anticipated (future) absences. Simply copy and paste the template onto an email or write it out. The template has bolded brackets/parentheses where you can add your student's information.
Due to higher-than-normal excusal requests, delays are expected; however, the attendance team is working diligently to resolve this issue promptly. Rest assured; we will get to your request in the order in which they were received.
Should you have any questions, concerns, or would like to send in an excusal request for your student, please email me: [email protected] or [email protected]. Attached to this email are the templates that you can use for absentee inquiries.
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Note #1
Dear WSHS Attendance Team: My student [LAST NAME, FIRST NAME] was absent/tardy on [Date(s)] from the following class periods: [1-7 (full day); 5-7 (partial), for example]. My student was [absent/tardy] because (Type here why your student was absent/tardy from school). If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me via email: [Insert your email] or phone: [Insert your Phone Number].
Thank you,
(Your Name)
Note #2
Dear WSHS Attendance Team: My student [LAST NAME, FIRST NAME] will be absent on [Date(s)] from the following class periods: [1-7 (full day); 5-7 (partial), for example purposes], because (Insert here why your student(s) will miss school).
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me via email: [Insert your email] or phone: [Insert your Phone Number].
Thank you,
(Your Name)
- Will my student be able to attend certain functions if they have a high number of unexcused absences?
Short answer is NO. We are raising the expectation for our students and families. Below is a list of exempt functions if absences or tardies become a problem.
- Parking on Campus: Any student with 10 or more unexcused absences from the 2023-24 school year will not be able to purchase a parking pass this school year for the 1st quarter. If attendance improves (Less than 5 unexcused and excused absences in 1st quarter) students will be able to buy a parking pass for the 2nd quarter.
- WSHS Homecoming 2024: Any student with 10 or more unexcused absences from 2023-24 Semester 2 will not be able to attend Homecoming.
- WSHS Homecoming 2024: Any student with 5 or more unexcused absences in the 1st quarter will not be able to go to Homecoming.
- WSHS Homecoming 2024: Any student with 10 or more TOTAL tardies in the 1st quarter will not be able to go to Homecoming.
- Senior Picnic 2025: Any student with 5 or more unexcused absences in the 2nd semester will not be able to go to the Senior Picnic
- Parking on Campus: Any student with 10 or more unexcused absences from 2024-25 will not be able to purchase a parking pass. For the 1st quarter
- Will my students be rewarded for attending school on a regular basis?
Yes, the “Bear Pass” will be given out at the end of each quarter for ALL students that have NO unexcused absence. The “Bear Pass” will be able to be exchanged for a reward at the end of each quarter.
NOTE: The Bear Pass CAN be earned if absences are excused.
- Will the MINGA app be used during the 2024-25 school year?
Yes, the MINGA app will be used during the 2024-25 school year with some possible expansion of the app to help with schoolwide operations. More to come.
WSHS Community: Thank you for your cooperation in ensuring that we are improving our attendance! It is imperative that we do so!
GO BEARS!
Mr. Pete Gaffney
Principal
Winter Springs High School