Attendance Information

Attendance Policy

Please refer to the district policy manual. Reference policies:

5200 - Pupils - Attendance
5200R - Pupils - Attendance Regulations

To Report An Absence

To report an absence for your student, please call the number below. Alternatively, you can report the absence through PowerSchool.

• • Columbia High School: (973) 762 - 5600 x 1125

Reporting Absences Via PowerSchool (Secondary)

Instructions:

1. Log into the PowerSchool Parent Portal (click here).
2. Click on the eCollect Forms link.
3. Click on "Student Absent Notification".
4. Confirm / edit the date and time.
5. Fill in the reason for the absence.
6. Click Submit.

Additional Attendance Information

In order for students to learn and achieve their fullest potential, it is critical that they are in school and engaged in the learning process. Research shows that student absences impact a child’s ability to succeed in school.

A growing and compelling body of research demonstrates that chronic absence from school – typically defined as missing at least 10 percent (18 days) of school days in a year for any reason, excused or unexcused – is a primary cause of low academic achievement and a powerful predictor of which students will eventually drop out of school.

Parents need to contact the school to report the reason for each absence when their child is not in school.  The reported absence will be coded as excused or unexcused based upon the state and district attendance policies.  If the parent does not contact the school, then the absence will be recorded as unexcused.

All absences, excused and unexcused, count toward chronic absenteeism.  A student may be denied course credit if they miss more than 10% of any course (chronic absenteeism).  All unexcused absences count toward truancy.  Information on the attached sheet outlines the differences between excused and unexcused absences and how all absences from school count toward chronic absenteeism and/or truancy.

If you have questions or concerns with your student’s attendance records, please contact your child's school.