ATTENDANCE

• Excused absences are defined as absences, tardiness and early departures from class or school due to personal illness, illness or death in the family, impassable roads or inclement weather, religious observance, quarantine, required court appearances, medical or dental appointments, approved college visits, approved cooperative work programs, military obligations, or such reasons as may be approved by the principal.

• All other absences, tardiness and early departures (ATEDs) are considered unexcused absences. All ATEDs must be accounted for with a signed note upon students' return to school. Traffic, oversleeping, or staying up late the night prior are NOT valid reasons for lateness or absences from school. Just because a parent/guardian provides a note, it does not mean it will be accepted as a valid reason for lateness or absences.

REPORTING ABSENCES:  PLEASE CALL 441-4515 or email:NMSAttendance@greatneck.k12.ny.us

• For the protection of your child, you are urged to call the school if he/she is absent from school. To accommodate parents’ schedules, calls will be taken by answering machine when school is not in session. Please leave a message with the student’s full name, grade, date of absence, and the reason for absence.
• If you have any other message, please call the main office while school is in session at 441-4500.  This procedure for having parental contact when a student is absent is a necessary safeguard to insure the health and safety of your child.

One of our major goals as a school is to have students show a concern for themselves as well as for other students.  Being on time helps fulfill that goal.

1. Homeroom begins at 8:20 a.m. Any student who is not in the Homeroom by this time is late.

2. Students arriving at school between 8:20 a.m. and 8:30 a.m. should report directly to the Homeroom. They will be marked tardy (T) for the day.

3. Only a signed note will excuse a student if it is for a valid reason. (See excused reasons) If a child arrives with a signed note, they will be marked late, and the note will be collected by the homeroom teacher.

4. Students arriving after 8:30 a.m. should report to the Main Office to sign in. Students must have a written note from home excusing the lateness. Lateness after homeroom will be looked at as a separate matter.

If there is no note or lateness isn't for a valid, excused reason, please adhere to the following guidelines:

Persistent lateness will be dealt with by the administration on a case-by-case basis.

Please note this procedure will refresh each SEPTEMBER. 

• When a parent/guardian intends to pick up their child/ren early, a written email or note must be sent to the attendance office with the reason why and time that they will be leaving school.  It should also note if the child will be returning to school on that same day.  

• Early dismissal requests will be considered and only granted for valid reasons when they are requested from a parent/legal guardian. 

• When students leave early they must be signed out and picked up in the main office by a parent or guardian. 

If you need to contact the nurse about medications or health concerns, please visit the Nurse Page for detailed information.

NURSE PAGE