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CHINOOK MIDDLE SCHOOL

Home of the Orcas

Serving Grades 6-8

Attendance Information for Families

Attendance Line: 360-412-4761

Email: cmsoffice@nthurston.k12.wa.us

The first bell rings at 9:16am and attendance is taken at 9:20am in the classroom. If your student arrives later than 9:20am, they will need a note or phone call from the parent or guardian to excuse the tardy. Students should check in at the attendance window to get a pass to class. Students who have 3 unexcused tardies in a single week will have an isolated lunch period.

Students who arrive by late bus must check in at the attendance window and get a pass to class. A late bus will not count as a tardy.

To excuse your student for an illness or appointment for the school day, please call the attendance line at 412-4761. You may leave a message detailing the absence.

If your student has an appointment during the school day, please send a note with your student or call 412-4761 to have your student released for the appointment. A call in will require the parent/guardian to come in and sigh the student out. If you send a note, no other signature is required.

When possible, a doctor’s note is appreciated for illnesses or appointments.

An automated attendance notification call goes out to families at 1:30pm daily. Excused absence requests will need to be made by 11:00am to avoid receiving an automated call. Any requests made after 11:00am can be viewed as 'Excused' on Family Access.

Absence Reporting Through Family Access

Log into Family Access. Contact your school's office if you do not know your username and/or password.

If you have multiple students, click on the student you wish to report the absence at the top of the screen (the drop-down at the top if you're using the mobile app).

Click on the Attendance tile

Make sure you're on the Absence Requests (tabs are in the middle of the screen), click Add Absence Request at the very right, choose the appropriate reason, adding notes, and copying the request to multiple students, if needed.

A message will be sent to your office with the information and will be pending until it has been processed.

Watch this video to see it in action!

NTPS Attendance Information

What is good attendance?
Why is good attendance important?
When attendance is good, they do well in school! Regular attendance ensures that:
- Preschoolers build skills and develop good habits for showing up on time
- Elementary students read well by the end of 3rd grade
- Middle & high schoolers stay on track for graduation
When do absences become a problem?
- Satisfactory: 9 or fewer absences means your student can keep up and keep learning!
- Warning Signs: 10 to 17 absences in a school year mean your student will miss a lot and struggle to keep up!
- Chronic Absence: 18 or more days in a year (2 days a month) is enough to warrant meeting with the student and your family to discuss any challenges that we may help overcome.
What happens if a student misses too much school?
Too many absences—excused or unexcused—can keep students from succeeding in school and in life. Students who miss more than 1 school day a month become at risk for longer-term challenges. For example:
- Half of the students who miss 2 to 4 days in September, go on to miss nearly one month of school;
- Chronically absent (2 days a month) students are more likely to drop out of high school;
- Chronically absent kindergartners score 20 percent lower in reading and math in later grades;
- Student absences in 8th grade are 8 times more predictive of 9th grade course failure than test scores;
- Chronic absenteeism is the strongest 6th grade predictor of not graduating from high school.
That’s why if your student has two unexcused absences in one month, state law (RCW 28A.225.020) requires that schools schedule a family conference with the student to identify barriers and supports available to ensure regular attendance.
What can the district do?
What can families do?
Families get their kids to school! The student learns the importance of attendance from their family!
- Make attendance the expectation
- Use early release or days off to schedule appointments if possible
- Set a regular bedtime and morning routine & schedule
- Prepare for school the night before
Need more information about attendance?

North Thurston Public Schools does not discriminate in any programs or activities on the basis of sex, race, creed, religion, color, national origin, age, veteran or military status, sexual orientation, gender expression or identity, disability, or the use of a trained dog guide or service animal and provides equal access to the Boy Scouts and other designated youth groups. The following employees have been designated to handle questions and complaints of alleged discrimination: Civil Rights Coordinator and Title IX Officer: executivedirectorHR@nthurston.k12.wa.us, 360-412-4453; Section 504 Coordinator: 504@nthurston.k12.wa.us, 360-412-4465. Address for both: 305 College Street NE, Lacey, WA 98516.

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