Attendance Policy

P.S. 83 Luis Muñoz Rivera believes that every school day matters and that strong attendance supports academic growth, social-emotional development, and promotion readiness.

Students are expected to attend school every day, arrive on time, and remain in school for the full instructional day.

NYC Public Schools requires attendance to be recorded as a legal record, even when an absence is excused.

School begins at 8:00 AM, and students should arrive on time each day.

Attendance is taken daily, and students are expected to be present for the full school day unless dismissed through an approved procedure.

P.S. 83 may use attendance records, family outreach, and student support teams to monitor attendance and intervene early when attendance begins to decline.

If a student is absent, a parent or guardian must notify the school as soon as possible, ideally on the day of the absence.

When the student returns, families should send a written note explaining the reason for the absence; medical documentation should be provided for extended or frequent illness-related absences.

NYCPS states that a child absent for any reason must still be marked absent, even if the absence is excused.

Absences may be treated as excused when they are supported by appropriate documentation and fall within NYCPS guidance, such as illness, medical appointments, religious observance, family emergencies, or other approved reasons.

Even when excused, these absences remain part of the student’s official attendance record and count toward the student’s year-to-date attendance rate.

Students who arrive after the school day begins must report to the main office for late arrival procedures before going to class.

Repeated lateness can affect instructional time and may trigger family outreach and attendance interventions.

Early dismissal should be avoided whenever possible and must be arranged in advance by an authorized adult for a valid reason.

A student is considered chronically absent when attendance falls below 90%, meaning the student has missed 10% or more of the school year.

P.S. 83 will monitor attendance patterns and work with families early when students approach this threshold.

District and city guidance emphasize that lower attendance is linked to weaker academic outcomes and increased risk of falling behind.

The school will contact families after each absence and will notify families when students are frequently late or absent.

Families are encouraged to review attendance regularly through NYC Schools Account and to work with the school if barriers such as illness, housing instability, transportation, or family hardship affect attendance.

NYCPS also expects schools to keep accurate attendance records and maintain follow-up procedures.

When attendance becomes a concern, the school may involve the attendance team, guidance staff, social worker, principal, or other student-support personnel to create an attendance improvement plan.

Supports may include family conferences, attendance check-ins, referrals to community resources, and regular progress monitoring.

The goal is to keep students connected to school before absences become chronic.

Students are expected to come to school ready to learn, on time, every day.

Families are responsible for ensuring regular attendance, communicating with the school about absences, and supporting punctual arrival and consistent school participation.

Together, families and the school share responsibility for making attendance a priority.

Attendance records must be accurate and maintained in accordance with NYCPS rules.

Parents and guardians may request attendance information and should notify the school promptly if they believe an attendance record needs review.

Any attendance corrections must follow school and NYCPS procedures.

Parents or guardians of children are responsible for their regular attendance.  The school day begins promptly at 8:00 AM and ends at 2:45 PM.

If a child is going to be absent: parents or guardians must call the school office at (212) 860-5847 before 9:00 AM. You must call and inform the school each day your child will be absent from school.

If there are any changes in dismissal: you must send a note to the classroom teacher in the morning. If you need to make a change please call the office before 1:00 PM.

An important part of good attendance is arriving to school on time and remaining for the full day. Late arrivals and early dismissals are disruptive to learning. Late arrivals must receive a late pass before reporting to class.