Student Attendance
The foundation of Academic Success is rooted in attendance. If students are not present in school on time to their classes, it will be much harder for them to achieve their education goals. Although our students are growing into adulthood and becoming more independent, families still play a vital role in ensuring their student participates and/or gets to school every day. Click the button below to view a great resource that we encourage all parents/guardians to read.
Strong attendance means stronger learning, better grades, and brighter futures.
Attendance Policies & Procedures
School starts at 8am Be on time - Get counted!
Students are expected to attend school and all class periods unless school has been officially canceled by CPS. Parents/Guardians are notified directly by the Chicago Public School District when school is canceled. You can also check the CPS website for the most up to date information. Parents/Guardians, please be sure your contact information is up to date in Aspen Parent Portal. If your student is sick, please review the CPS Self-Screening Health Questions for Parent guidelines.
Parent Attendance Webpage: Attendance CPS Webpage
Attendance Policies & Procedures
For more information, you can access Sullivan's Attendance Policies & Procedures below.
Excused & Unexcused Absences
Chicago Public Schools and Illinois State Board of Education requires that absences by students are labeled as EXCUSED or UNEXCUSED. The following reasons are considered EXCUSED absences:
| Approval | Circumstance |
|---|---|
| Excused | Student Illness |
| Case by Case Approval | Circumstances which cause reasonable concern for the student’s safety or health |
| Excused | Observance of a Religious Holiday |
| Excused | Death In The Immediate Family |
| Excused | Family Emergency (w/ Explanation) |
| Case by Case Approval | Other situations beyond the control of the student |
| Excused | Mental Health NOTE - Please let our office know if any additional support is needed. |
| Excused | Sounding "Taps" at a military honors funeral held in this State for a deceased veteran |
| Excused | A student’s parent or legal guardian is an active duty member of the uniformed services and has been called to duty for, is on leave from, or has immediately returned from deployment to a combat zone or combat-support postings. |
Students who are absent for other reasons may be considered Truant (AUX) and will not have their absence listed as excused.
All Absences (Excused or Unexcused) will be reported on official school transcripts.
Reporting a student absence
Method 1
E-Absence
(Preferred Method)
An exciting new feature is on Aspen Parent Portal: E-Absence! E-Absence allows parents/guardians to submit and track your student’s absences online. That means no more making last-minute phone calls or completing paper forms. You can also submit past dates on Aspen as well.
If you need access to the Parent Portal and don’t have an account, please reach out to Ms. Tailor at [email protected] to set up an appointment.
Method 2
Send a Signed Excuse note
Upon your student's return, please send a note with the following information and submit to the main office:
- Student’s full name (spell out last name)
- Your student’s CPS Student ID#
- The date of your student’s absence
- Reason for the absence
- Your name
- A contact number in case there are follow-up questions
Due to confidentiality concerns, email communication remains an invalid communication method to report a student absent.
Early Dismissal Process
*Parents/Guardians, please give yourself 15 minutes to complete this process. Please have your ID with you to confirm your identity.
You are unable to submit an Early Dismissal on the E-Absence Report
Students under the age of 18 MUST be picked up by an Emergency Contact who is listed in Aspen prior to their arrival.
There's no need to call the Main Office for an early dismissal. Students will be dismissed from class when the designated parent/guardian arrives. Parents/Guardians: Please allow 15 minutes to complete the Early Dismissal Process. NOTE: There are no dismissals during the first and last 10 minutes of class or after 2:45pm. Per Chicago Public Schools, early dismissals are only for illness and emergencies. We strongly encourage you to coordinate early dismissals during passing periods when possible.
Other Useful Tips
- If a student thinks they have been marked Absent or Tardy in error, they are to contact their teacher and resolve the issue directly with them. The teacher will then notify the Attendance Clerk if further assistance is required.
- Students arriving late to class will be marked TARDY. It is imperative that Students use their passing period to prepare for their next class and be ready when the class starts.
- We encourage students to reach out to their teachers so they can stay informed of any class work they might be missing and make a plan to get caught up.
- Missing 50 minutes or more of instructional time will result in a minimum half day absence.
- Please allow 7-10 school days to process attendance and longer during peak periods.
Parents/Guardians will receive an automated call from CPS when your student is marked Full Day Absent in addition to the alerts you set in Aspen Parent Portal.