BPS101 is dedicated to ensuring every student is present, engaged, and ready to learn— and we need your help! Consistent attendance is crucial for keeping students on track with their learning, developing important social skills, and building habits that will benefit them throughout their lives. Every day counts in building a strong foundation for your student’s academic and social success.

With the support of BPS101, how can you encourage regular school attendance for your students?

As our partner in your child’s education, we value, appreciate, and seek out your involvement and collaboration for your child’s success. We are asking all parents to help us ensure the regular, on-time attendance of their children at school. We monitor attendance closely because research has shown that regular attendance is vital for children’s success in school. All absences, even excused ones, impact your child’s learning.

Here are some ways you can help us to ensure your child has the best learning opportunity:

• Schedule non-urgent appointments and extended trips when school is not in session.
• Develop backup plans for getting to school if something comes up. Call on a family member, neighbor, or another parent.
• If your child seems anxious about going to school, talk to teachers, school counselors, and other parents for advice on how to make your child feel comfortable and excited about learning.
• If your child must stay home due to verified illness, check Google Classroom to stay current with assignments.

Additionally, we want to inform families of Batavia Public School District 101’s attendance policies and guidelines. 

If an absence for one of the following reasons is called in on time, the absence is classified as excused:

• Illness and /or doctor’s appointments;
• Death in the immediate family;
• Family emergency and/or parental request due to circumstances which cause reasonable concern to the parent for the safety and health of the student;
• Observance of a religious holiday;
• In-school suspensions;
• Field trips;
• Nurse appointments for an entire period;
• Hospitalization;
• Guidance appointments;
• Administrative reasons;
• Pre-planned absence beyond the control of the student as determined by the administration. 

We understand that there may be circumstances that occasionally necessitate your child’s absence from school, such as illness or family emergencies. In such cases, please communicate with us promptly, and we will work together to support your child’s continued learning.

Please understand when you receive attendance notices from the district, that regular communication of your child’s attendance record is required by Illinois School Code Section 22-92. Please take a moment to review Batavia Public School District’s tiered attendance guidelines and thresholds:

Chronic Truancy is defined as being absent without “valid cause” for 5% or more of the past 180 school days.

Chronic Absenteeism is defined as being absent 10% or more of the previous 180 school days, with or without “valid cause.”  

For additional details on the School board Policy on Attendance, please visit this page.

Communication regarding your student’s attendance will be sent out quarterly if they meet the above attendance Tiers. Parents can check attendance records in the Parent Portal for PowerSchool. Thank you for your attention to this matter and for your ongoing support of your child’s education. Together, we can ensure that every student has the opportunity to thrive and succeed.