• Attendance Policy and Procedures

    The Hamburg Area School District recognizes that attendance is an important factor in educational success. Our district attendance policy has recently been updated in compliance with state and federal mandates and to address adjustments around COVID-19. Details regarding attendance policies and procedures can be found on the HASD website under school board policies and in student handbooks for those with Middle and High School students.

    School Hours

    8:45 A.M. - Doors open

    9:00 A.M. – Students are to be in homerooms - Opening Exercises

    9:01 A.M. - Students are considered tardy and must report to the office to sign in and receive a pass.

    Arrival after 11:20 A.M. will be considered a half-day AM absence. A student will be marked absent for a half-day PM if the student leaves before 1:20 PM.  

    3:25 P.M.– Students are dismissed

    Procedures for reporting and documenting absences have become more stringent as a result of the federal government’s Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). Parents are required to do one of the three procedures written below. Please read them carefully:

    Absence submission procedures

    Parents/guardians must call the attendance line by dialing 610-562-2241 press #1, press #3, press #8 by 9:00 am on any day when your child will be absent or tardy. Following an attendance line call absences must also be followed up with a handwritten parent note, electronic note, excuse card or doctor’s note within 3 DAYS of the student’s return to school. Failure to submit the appropriate note within 3 days will result in the absence being coded as unlawful. Once a student has received 3 unlawful absences, a truancy elimination plan may be enacted. This plan could potentially lead to a referral for support through the Advancing Attendance Program (Service Access Management), a Children and Youth referral or a citation from the District Magistrate.

    Parents/Guardians are required to do one of the three procedures written below following any absence from school. Please read them carefully:

    • 1) Submit an excuse card or doctor's note, please click the following link in order to access a printable copy of our excuse cards:

    • Tilden Excuse card link 

      • Several excuse cards will be handed out at the start of the school year. If more are needed throughout the year, please request additional cards from your child's teacher or print from the above line.

      • Only those dates listed on a doctor's note will be excused. Dates not listed on the doctor's note will require an additional excuse.
      • Tilden Excuse card - Spanish

    2) Submit a handwritten parent/guardian note; this may be written on any piece of paper in lieu of an excuse card.

    It is your child’s responsibility to present the note to their teacher or hand it to the office. Other acceptable ways to turn in a note are for a parent to drop it off personally at the school office between the hours of 8:45 A.M. - 4:30 P.M. or follow the procedures listed for the electronic note submission. 

    3) Submit an electronic note via the link below:

     Educational absences

    Excused absence requests for educational reasons must be submitted at least five (5) days in advance of the anticipated absence from school. Parents/Guardians should submit this request to the school Principal stating clearly the number of days of absence, a full description of the nature of the learning experience (where the student will visit and what it is hoped the student will learn), and under whose charge the student will be placed.  

    In the past, there have been occasional situations in which families have forgotten to submit an educational trip form for approval prior to their trip. Failure to submit a trip form prior to departure may result in trip days being counted as an unlawful absence. Trip forms are available in the school office as well as on the HASD website.

    The Hamburg Area School District has a team of educational professionals ready to serve students with the goal of providing the support they need to get to school, on time, every day.

    As your school’s Home and School Visitor, I will gladly work with you if you answer yes to any of the following questions:

    • Do you have questions around attendance?

    • Is your child frequently absent from school?

    • Have you received a fine or notice letter from the school because of your child’s absence from school?                                     

    HSV Contact - Mr. McFarland Kevmcfa@hasdhawks.org 610-562-2241 x 4534, 484-662-3051 (call or text)