School Day

Students may arrive between 8:45 a.m. - 9:00 a.m.

School begins - 9:15 a.m. 

Students are tardy - 9:16 a.m.

Early dismissal ends - 2:30 p.m. 

School ends - 3:25 p.m. 

If your child is a walker, car rider or van rider, they must be picked up no later than 3:40 p.m.

Attendance

To receive the maximum instructional benefit from classroom instruction, a child must be in attendance daily. Each child who resides in Maryland and is five (5) years old or older, and under 18 shall attend a public school during the entire school year unless the child is otherwise receiving regular, thorough instruction during the school year in the studies usually taught in public schools to children of the same age, or is exempted by law. For each absence, the parent/guardian must communicate the reason for the student’s absence with written documentation no later than three days after return to school.  It is the student’s responsibility to make-up all assignments.  Please refer to Board Policy 5113 for more information regarding the Attendance Policy. 

Unlawful absence and/or truancy is defined as the act of a student being absent from school for a day or any portion of a day or from an individual class or any portion of a class for any reason other than those defined as a lawful excuse for absence from school. This definition applies to students over 16 years of age as well as students under 16 years of age. 

1. At all grade levels, students with unlawful absence(s), including so-called “cut days,” shall receive a zero for any day(s) of such absence(s). The zero(s) will be averaged with other daily grades. 
2. Teachers are not required to provide make-up work for students when their absences are unlawful.

Maryland State Law requires students to attend school regularly.  Students are expected to be in school except for the following reasons:

• Death in the immediate family (i.e., parent, guardian, brother, sister, grandparent), or extended family and close non-relatives. ~ 4 days maximum
• Illness of the student. The principal may require a physician’s certificate from the parent/guardian of a student that is reported absent for illness at least three school days. If absences reach six days a physician’s certificate will be required. If needed, student medical care may be available at a Prince George’s County Public Schools Wellness Center
• Mental Health Day. Students may receive as an excused absence one (1) day of absence in each semester of each school year for a student’s mental health needs. ~ 2 max for the year
• Pregnancy and parenting related conditions
• Court Summons
• Hazardous weather conditions that would endanger the health or safety of the student when in transit to and from school.
• Observance of a religious holiday
• State emergency
• Suspension
• Lack of authorized transportation. This shall not include students denied authorized transportation for disciplinary reasons.
• Health exclusion, which includes immunizations and other health related communicable or contagious diseases. 
• Absence due to Military Families. PGCPS supports the Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children. A lawful absence shall be granted to students while visiting with a parent or legal guardian who is an active duty member of the uniformed services and has been called to duty for, is on leave from, or immediately returned from deployment to a combat zone or combat supporting posting. Accordingly, students must receive missed homework assigned during the time they were absent. Military orders may be requested.

Only students who have a lawful absence will be provided with make-up work. Students will have the same amount of time to make up missed work as the days that they were absent. If make-up work is not received or the student was considered unlawfully absent, the student will receive a 0.