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Early Dismissal Information

 To limit the disruption in the classroom, we will no longer be calling students for early dismissal from class.  Please arrange early check outs during class change times.  Please make sure to send a note with your student when they will be checked out early.  It is the responsibility of your student to remember they have early dismissal and to inform their teacher of the dismissal.  At the time of dismissal, your student will be waiting in the attendance office for you to sign them out.

 In case of emergency, we will send a staff member to retrieve your student if a note was not sent.  Please allow at least 30 minutes for this type of dismissal.

 Thank you for your patience and understanding as we try to protect academic instruction time at Durham Middle School.

Attendance Update – Please Read

In the past, your student was required to be at school for at least 3 ½ hours to be considered present for the day. Now that we are using period attendance instead of daily attendance, your student will need to be present for 4 academic blocks each day to be considered present for the day. Homeroom and Advisement do not count as academic blocks.

There is a Master schedule in the front of your student’s agenda. Please refer to this when scheduling appointments so as to disrupt their class time as little as possible. Also remember to send an early dismissal note with your student if they are going to be checked out early. The Advisement schedule is only used on Wednesday.

Returning to School after an Absence 

A letter written by a parent/guardian or licensed physician must be presented to Attendance the day a student returns to school from an absence.  The statement should indicate the reason for the absence, the number of days absent, work and/or home phone number where a parent can be reached and the parent’s signature.  Attendance records can only be updated within 3 days of the student’s return to school after the absence.

Excused Absences 

The Georgia Board of Education states that students may be temporarily excused from school for the following reasons:

  • When personally ill and when attendance in school would endanger their health or the health of others.
  • When in their immediate family there is a serious illness or death, which would reasonably necessitate absences from school.
  • On a special and recognized religious holidays observed by their faith.
  • When mandated by order of governmental agencies (pre-induction physical examination of service in armed forces or court order).
  • Due to conditions rendering school attendance impossible or hazardous to their health or safety. 

Other reasons will be recorded as unexcused. 

Refer to Cobb County School Board policy JE regarding detailed student attendance policies.  

Tardy to School 

If a student arrives to school after 9:15 am, he/she must report to the Attendance to sign in. 

Feel free to contact the school if you need clarification. Thank you for your cooperation and understanding.