TMS Attendance

To report absences, parents should call 972-882-5650.  Please remember that in an effort to secure our students' learning environment, we will NOT interrupt classes to deliver forgotten items to students (ie. assignments, projects, signed papers, lunch money).  Students may stop by the office during class change to retrieve items; however, they must know to do so without a call from the front office. If lunch money is brought to the school, it will be delivered to the cafeteria and deposited directly into the students account (the student will NOT be notified by the office). Thank you for helping us to maximize learning time.

Calling in for students

The parent or guardian must call the school with the reason for an absence anytime a student is absent.  Parents may call the office 972-882-5650.  Each student is allowed THREE excused parent call-ins or parent written notes per semester.  After the third call-in or parent written note, proper documentation must be submitted to the attendance office in order for the additional absences to be excused.

Excused Absences

Absences are excused if a student attends a doctor/dentist appointment or court date and can provide documentation upon return.  Absences are excused for students to attend funerals of family members with funeral documentation (funeral program/letter).  If a student will be absent for a religious holy day, contact the school one week in advance.  A letter from the appropriate religious organization must be submitted to the school prior to the absence in order for it to be excused.  Students who are home ill are excused if the parent calls in for them on the day of the absence.  Only three call-ins or parent written notes per semester will be excused.  If a student is out three consecutive days for illness a doctors note will be required to excuse the absences and to avoid truancy.  District polity is to file ten unexcused absences in a six month period.

Unexcused Absences

Going out of town, visiting family, running errands, babysitting, taking vacations, or other personal reasons are not considered excused absences.  The expectation is that students will be present every day that school is in session.  Certain situations arise which require students to miss school.  Parents/guardians must contact the school prior to the event to discuss the absences with the attendance principal.  For safety reasons, a picture ID will be required when picking up a student.  Anytime a student arrives late or leaves early for an appointment, a doctors' note will be required to excuse the absence for the classes that were missed.

Truancy Laws

According to the State of Texas, children between the ages of six and eighteen are required to attend school each day for the entire period that the schools program of instruction is provided.  A student who accumulates ten or more unexcused absences in a six-month period is considered truant by the State of Texas.  Students must be present 90% of the time in each individual class to be awarded credit.  In compliance with the State of Texas Compulsory Attendance Law and the 90% law, students not in attendance 90% of the school days will be required to make up time as required by the attendance principal.  Truancy warning letters will be sent out on each unexcused absence beginning with the first one and each subsequent absence, to keep you informed of the law and accumulated absences.