Successful completion of each course requires regular attendance and participation. Students must ask their teacher(s) for missed work due to a legal absence. The student will have a reasonable amount of time to complete missed work.

Parents/guardians must call the Orchard Park Middle School Attendance Office at 209-6412 every day that your child is absent or late to school. If you know they will be out longer than one day you can relay that in your call. Please be aware that if your child is marked absent from school during homeroom, you will receive an automated phone call at 8:15 AM notifying you of the absence. You will be asked to call the attendance office at 209-6412 to confirm that your child is safe. If you have already called in your child's absence for that day, no call is required.

Please verify the accuracy of the numbers listed via our Parent Portal.

To avoid a situation where your child cannot be accounted for, please be sure to call in absences and tardiness to 209-6412 every day. This is required for your child's safety.

Upon returning to school, the student must bring a note signed by parent/guardian within 3 days of the absence. The note should state the child’s full name, grade, date and reason for the absence. If a note is not received within three (3) days of the absence, the absence will be marked "illegal" in accordance with New York State Law.

An absence is “excused” for three reasons: illness or medical appointment; death in the family; appearance in court. Vacations/trips taken during scheduled school days are considered "unexcused" absences.

Students should be in their homeroom by 8:00 a.m. If arrival is after 8:00 a.m., students should report directly to the Attendance Office to sign in. Students must bring a note from parent/guardian stating the reason for the late arrival. The attendance secretary will issue a tardy slip to enter class. Students with repeat "unexcused" tardiness (overslept, no note from parent/guardian, etc.) will receive disciplinary action, in accordance with OPMS Code of Conduct Policy.

Failure to sign in at the Attendance Office will result in the student being marked absent.

No child leaves OPMS without being accompanied by a parent/guardian and without a parent/guardian signature.

Early dismissal notes should be brought to the Nurse/Attendance Office before homeroom. The student will be given a pass to be excused from class. At the time of his/her release from the class, the student may go to his/her locker to gather whatever is needed to leave and then report to the Attendance Office.

Parent/guardian must enter the building, report to the Welcome Desk/Nurse/Attendance Office, show government-issued photo identification, and sign out his/her child. Students may only leave when escorted by a parent/guardian. At times, it may be necessary for parents to call in to notify the office they need to pick up a child early; however, a note is still necessary.

Excessive absenteeism or tardiness will result in action from the school. This could include conferences, formal letters to the parents, as well as increased intervention from OPMS.

Finally, please discuss your daily schedule with your child before school. These arrangements should be made prior to the school day starting. It also helps if you use the Agenda as a tool for your child to remember things. This is yet another way we are trying to instill responsibility in your adolescent children.

Please understand that these regulations are put into practice for the safety and well being of your child.