Tamim Updated Attendance & Late Policy

As outlined in our student handbook, which you all received and acknowledged before the start of the school year, the school day and learning at Tamim Academy begins at 8:45 am.  Lateness and tardiness are detrimental to your child’s learning and are negatively impacting their academic progress.  This notice serves as a follow-up on our existing attendance policy and informs you of an upcoming change.  

Starting Monday, February 12th, classroom doors will open at 8:40 and close promptly at 8:50. Students arriving after this time must report to the Tamim office and will be marked tardy.

In alignment with the  Department of Education guidelines, which are crucial for our compliance and qualification for the Step Up scholarship program, students must be present and engaged in learning for a designated number of hours each year.  As mentioned at  Curriculum Night, Step Up will audit our attendance records in the upcoming months. Our attendance policy must be adhered to for Step Up funding to continue. 

A reminder from the Brightwheel message sent on January 2nd: three unexcused tardies within a 90-day period equate to one unexcused absence. Tardies are considered excused if your child has a doctor's appointment or a family emergency.   However, oversleeping, traffic delays, or returning home for forgotten items will not be accepted as valid reasons. 

Please remember that you must contact the school when your child is absent for that absence to be excused.   If your child is out sick for more than three consecutive days, a doctor's note is required to excuse those absences.  Failing to notify the school when your child is out will deem those days unexcused. 

We understand the challenges many of you face in managing multiple children with varying start times and locations.  We kindly request that you plan accordingly to ensure compliance.  It’s worth mentioning that all public and private schools in our area have adopted similar policies and earlier start times.  For families with children in Torah Tots, the playground is available for your younger children while you wait for their classrooms to open.

Regular and timely school attendance plays a vital role in student’s success. The first period in the morning is an active learning one in which important subjects are taught.  Students need to be on time, present, and ready to learn when school opens.