• Attendance

    The first and most important step that a student must take to ensure success is to attend school each and every day. If a student develops regular attendance habits, we are confident that she/he will find success at Dominion High School. If, however, a student is absent more than 10% of the days that school, or any specific class, is in session, that student will risk loss of credit for the course, regardless of the grade earned.

    Excused Absences: School Board Policy recognizes that there are circumstances under which a student may be legitimately absent:

    • Personal illness
    • Death in the family
    • Medical or dental appointments
    • Court appearances
    • Religious holidays
    • Illness in the immediate family
    • Emergencies that are approved by the principal
    • Trips or activities that enhance or extend the student’s education, when approved by the principal in advance.

    Procedure for an Excused Absence: If a student must be absent from school for one of the reasons shown above, a parent must call the attendance office at 571.434.4404 by 10:00 AM to verify the absence. If a parent has not called by 10:00 AM, Dominion High School will call to verify the absence. Any absence not confirmed by a parent/guardian will be considered unexcused and disciplinary consequences will result.

    Procedures for an Early Dismissal: A student may only be released early from school for one of the reasons shown above. In most cases these dismissals will be anticipated in advance. Under such circumstances, the following procedures should be followed:

    • A written request from a parent or guardian must be submitted to the attendance office by 9:10 AM. The request must include the telephone number where your parent or guardian may be reached for confirmation of the dismissal. Please do NOT call the attendance line or send an email to make a request for an early dismissal.
    • Before leaving school, the student must confirm that the request has been approved and must sign out in the attendance office.

    Occasionally, a student may become suddenly ill during the school day. In this situation, the student should obtain permission from a teacher to visit the nurse’s office. The nurse will try to help the student remain in school. However, if the nurse determines that the student is too ill to remain in class for the day, a parent/guardian will be contacted to obtain permission for the student to leave school early. Once again, the student must sign out of the attendance office before leaving school property.

    Procedure for an Excused Tardy: Occasionally, a student may arrive to school later than 9:15 AM for one of the reasons listed under “Excused Absences.” Under such circumstances, a note should be presented from a parent, guardian, clerk of the court, or physician that states the reason for the late arrival. Any late arrival for a reason other than those shown above will be considered unexcused and will result in disciplinary consequences. If a student arrives late to school for any reason, she/he should report directly to the attendance office upon your arrival to school.