• Attendance

    Western High School
    1200 S.W. 136th Avenue/Wildcat Way Davie, FL  33325
    Phone: 754-323-2400 Fax: 754-323-2530

    Attendance Line: 754-323-2402

    Policy 5.5 Attendance and Cameras

    https://www.browardschools.com/Page/37754

    For ALL student absences please do one of the following:

    • call the attendance hotline 754-323-2402 and when prompted, please leave a message to excuse the absence
    • Submit a doctor’s note at the school’s front office
    • submit the absence information online through the Western High School’s website absence portal

    When reporting an absence, the following information is needed:

    1. Say and spell your students’ first & last name slowly and clearly
    2. Grade level
    3. Student ID Number or date of birth
    4. Date of absence
    5. Reason for absence
    6. Your name (parent/guardian calling in the absence)
    7. Your phone number if we need to contact you

    Excused Absences include the following:

    1. Illness of a student
    2. Illness of an immediate family member
    3. Death in the family
    4. Religious holiday
    5. Required court appearance or subpoena
    6. Special pre-planned event (an Application For Permitted Absence form must be filled out in advanced for absences of 5 days or more, and approved by an administrator for that student’s grade)
    7. Scheduled dental/medical appointment
    8. Student has a communicable disease

    *Please inform the school if the student will be out more than 5 days, and provide a doctor’s note upon student’s return to have the absences excused for illness or doctor’s appointments, and bring to the front office staff.

    **A phone call, text message and/or email may be sent out from the Broward County School District notifying of student absences from Western High School. If a Parent/Guardian called and left a message on the school’s attendance hotline or sent an email excusing the absence, please allow at least 48 hours to have our attendance records updated. Check Pinnacle often to see that student absences have been excused. Parents/Guardians may change notification preferences to specify how they would like to be notified of student absences on Pinnacle.


    Attendance Policies                                     Attendance Line: (754) 323-2402

    Students have a responsibility to attend all classes. Students have a responsibility to be on time for school and all classes. Students have a responsibility to ask their parents to notify the school when they are absent. Students have a responsibility to ask teachers for, and to complete, make-up assignments, in accordance with the guidelines from make-up work. Students have a responsibility to get medical advice and/or counseling about how to adjust their schooling for marriage, pregnancy, and parenthood. Students having or suspected of having a communicable disease are not allowed to attend school. In order to return to school, parents must obtain a doctor’s note stating that the student is no longer contagious.

    The School Board of Broward County stresses the importance that all students attend school regularly and remain in school until they graduate from high school. However, “a child who attains the age of 16 years [or age specified by state statute, whichever is older] during the school year is not subject to compulsory school attendance beyond the date upon which he or she attains that age if the child files a formal declaration of intent to terminate school enrollment with the District’s School Board. The declaration must acknowledge that terminating school enrollment is likely to reduce earning potential and must be signed by the child and the child’s parent. The school district must notify the child’s parent of receipt of the child’s declaration of intent to terminate school enrollment” (F.S. 1003.21). Declaration of Intent Forms are available at each school’s administration office. Also be aware that students who drop out of school are not eligible to receive a driver’s license or driver’s permit or will have their license or permit revoked. NON-ATTENDANCE AND EARLY SIGNS OF TRUANCY-IT IS IMPORTANT TO BE IN SCHOOL EVERY DAY. If your child is not in school, he or she may be showing early signs of truancy through a pattern of non-attendance (SB Policy 5.5).

    1. Make-up work shall be accepted for full credit and grade, for excused and unexcused absences.
    2. All make-up work must be submitted within two school days upon return to the missed class, not including the day of return, for each day of an absence. 
    3. When assignments and appropriate instruction are provided prior to the absence, make-up work (including major projects) is due on the day of return to the missed class.
    4. Under extenuating circumstances and at teacher’s discretion, additional time may be allowed.

    TARDINESS:  

    Tardiness is disruptive to the learning environment and can have a negative impact on student achievement. Tardiness may also count towards establishing a pattern of non-attendance that may indicate early signs of truancy. A pattern of non-attendance may be established by an accumulation of tardiness, absences (excused and unexcused), and early sign outs that exceed five (5) days in a marking period or ten (10) days in two (2) marking periods. 

    1. A tardy is excused for the same reasons that an absence is excused. Excused absences/tardiness include: illness, illness of an immediate family member, death in the family, religious holidays of the student’s faith, required court appearance or subpoena by a law enforcement agency, special event, scheduled doctor or dentist appointments, or communicable disease. In extenuating circumstances, principals and/or their designee may also excuse a tardy for reasons other than those stated if documentation is provided. Parents must follow the same process to excuse a tardy as they do to excuse an absence. 
    2. Tardiness is defined as a student not being in the classroom when classes are scheduled to begin. A student who has an excused tardy (note or telephone call) should report directly to class after first checking in at the designated check-in area of the school. 
    3. Excessive tardiness will be addressed on a case-by-case basis to determine if there is a pattern of non-attendance.
    4. Tardiness to any class without documentation may be considered unexcused.

    EARLY SIGN OUTS:

    When students are signed out early on an ongoing basis, their academic performance may be negatively impacted. Broward County Schools strongly encourages parents to ensure their student is in school for the full school day every day. Signing out early may count toward establishing a pattern of non-attendance that may indicate early signs of truancy. A pattern of non-attendance may be established by an accumulation of tardiness, absences (excused and unexcused), and early sign outs that exceeds five (5) days in a marking period or ten (10) days in two (2) marking periods. 

    1.Students shall not be released after 2:10pm unless the principal/designee determines that it is an emergency, or the student has a medical/dental appointment that cannot be reasonably scheduled at another time. 
    2. Excessive early sign outs will be addressed on a case-by-case basis to determine if there is a pattern of non-attendance.
    3. TELEPHONE CALLS will not be accepted to sign students out. Parents or guardians must present themselves with a valid identification at the front office to pick up their student and be on the Student’s Emergency Contact file.


    Safety & Security are a top priority at Western High School.

    Students Who Drive to School:

    Must have a parent sign them out at the front office and provide their driver’s license and be on the Student Emergency Contact file.

    Non-registered Drivers:
    Students who are not a registered driver must allow the traditional sign-out process.

    Traditional sign-out process:
    Parents / Guardians or designee, who are listed on the Student Emergency Contact file, must report in person to the front office with their official photo ID.

    Siblings of Drivers:
    Students who are registered may have siblings sign-out with them but the following must be completed:
    ➢ Registered student MUST be listed on the siblings Student Emergency Card on file in Student Affairs.

    Sign-out Reminders:
    ➢ Plan ahead, we know emergencies arise, but students and parents need to make sure documents are up to date to ensure a smooth sign-out process.
    ➢ Students are NOT to leave their class or lunch period to wait for parents / guardian arrival.
    ➢ Our school’s office staff will call the student’s class or security to have a student released.
    ➢ Students who leave class before being signed out will be sent back.
    ➢ There are no sign-outs allowed after 2:10pm

    Students are NOT allowed to use any car service, including Uber or Lyft, as a part of the dismissal process.

    Application for Permitted Absence