• ParentVUE 
  • Beginning in the 24-25 school year, parents/legal guardians can submit full-day absences using ParentVUE. Learn more about attendance reporting through ParentVUE.

• 703-718-2528
  • Your message will be recorded on a 24-hour answering machine. The absence will be considered unverified if the school does not receive communication from the parent/guardian. 
  • Phone messages are entered in the order received.  On high volume days the office may not record attendance before you are notified your student is absent.  Please verify student attendance in ParentVUE before contacting the office. 

• WestPotomacHigh.Attendance@fcps.edu 
  • A written note from a parent/legal guardian
  • When reporting a student's absence, please be specific about why your student will not attend school today.  
  • If reporting an ill student, include symptoms, especially if they have a fever, nausea, vomiting, sore throat, and/or cough. If your student has a diagnosis from a healthcare provider, please include that information. It is also helpful to the attendance staff if you mention your student's ID number to help verify the correct student. 

• Hand written note
  • Parent/guardian must provide a written note, call, or email the attendance office within 3 days of the absence. After 3 days, Assistant Principal’s approval is required.
  • Notes may be delivered to the attendance office located in Room 301A, Inside the Main Office
  • Include This Information:
    • Student Name
    • Student ID Number
    • Reason for Absence
    • Parent/Caller Name
    • Contact Number on file
    • Email address on file
    • *If reporting an ill student, include symptoms, especially if they have fever, nausea, vomiting, sore throat, and/or cough. If your student has a diagnosis from a healthcare provider, please include that information.

• Students needing a tardy or check-out pass should pick it up at the attendance office as soon as they arrive at school for the day. 
• Students may not call or check themselves in/out.  
• NO STUDENTS will be dismissed after 2:30pm or 12:30pm on a two hour early release schedule.
• Do not email attendance employees’ FCPS email.

• Calls and emails are sent to parents at 10 a.m. and after 4 p.m. via an automated attendance system from FCPS.
• Parents/Guardians can track attendance in real time and email the teachers through their ParentVUE account. 
• If you have sent an email/left a message regarding an absence, but still receive an auto call, please check ParentVUE to see if the attendance is correct prior to calling the Attendance Office.
• If you receive a call indicating an individual class absence, please verify/have your student verify with the teacher before calling the attendance office. Corrections will be made once we receive verification from the teacher confirming attendance. 

Pre-Arranged Absences: Requests for prearranged absences for longer than one school day, must be submitted to the principal within a reasonable time (three to five school days in advance) for the school to review.  Requests should be restricted to outlined excused absences, and/or significant hardships which prevent the student from attending school and are subject to administrator review. Download the Pre-Arranged Absence form here.

Extended Absences: If a student requires long-term medical care, parents should contact their child's school counselor.

Examples of Excused Absences/Tardies

• Student Illness  
• Medical/Dental Appointment
• Death in the family  
• Observance of a Religious Holiday    
• Court Appearances
• Suspension

Examples of Unexcused Absences/Tardies

• All day truancy, skipped classes, senior skip days
• Oversleeping
• Failure to notify the attendance office of late arrival/early dismissal
• Other reasons unacceptable to administrator
• Missing the bus/car issues

LATE CHECK IN - Excused

• Same communication requirements as all day excused absence.
• STUDENTS MUST CHECK IN AT THE ATTENDANCE OFFICE UPON ARRIVAL, even if they arrive between classes. If parent has provided communication to excuse the late arrival, attendance will be updated from “unverified” to “excused” in SIS when the student checks in. If a student checks in after 10:00 a.m., parent should expect to receive the morning automated attendance call/text/email.

Students needing a tardy or check out pass should pick up the pass at the attendance office as soon as they arrive at school for the day.  

PLANNED EARLY CHECK OUT

• *NO STUDENTS will be dismissed after 2:30pm or 12:30pm on a two hour early release schedule.
• Students MUST get a check out pass from the Attendance Office before leaving campus 
  • Best practice is for student to bring note to attendance office by 9:45 a.m. to receive their pass. Once student has their pass, they simply show it to the teacher at the beginning of the period in which they are leaving. If communication is received via email or phone, the student must stop by the attendance office in the morning to pick up the pass. If student does not check out properly, their absence will not be excused.

UNPLANNED EARLY CHECK OUT/EMERGENCY/LAST MINUTE CHECK OUT

• Parent will need to come to the office to check the student out. Please allow 15 minutes for check out. Photo ID is required. Student will be called from class to meet parent in the office. Please know unplanned check outs interrupt class instruction and should be avoided if possible. In person early check out must be done before 2:30 p.m. to avoid hindering bus traffic. Students may not leave campus without checking out through the attendance office or the absence will not be excused.

SICK STUDENT EARLY CHECK OUT

• Students MUST go to the Clinic to Check Out of school sick 
  • This helps us identify outbreaks of which our community should be advised. Parent will need to come to the office with photo ID. Please allow 5 minutes for check out from the clinic.

Students who attend 90% or more of the school year are more likely to graduate from high school on time. Parents/guardians will receive communication when a student is chronically absent more than 10%. Chronic absences include excused and unexcused full-day absences.

• Absences are cumulative during a school year and intervention will be initiated at 5 absences.
• Tardies are cumulative for the school year and consequences begin at 10 tardies.

In accordance with state law and school board policy, any student who is absent for fifteen (15) consecutive school days must be withdrawn from school. Students who have accumulated 10 full-day unexcused absences are referred to Fairfax County’s Truancy Officer. Parents will be requested to attend a meeting with the truancy officer, their student, and the student’s Assistant Principal.

Students and the parent they are living with must “reside” in Fairfax County to be enrolled or maintain enrollment in FCPS. “Reside” is physically present / living here, not just property ownership. 

Students should coordinate missing assignments directly with their teachers. Please refer to course syllabi and/or the course Schoology site for assignment due dates and details.