The front doors are locked promptly at 8:30a.m. Students arriving after this time must be escorted to the office and signed in by a parent.

Please strive to have your child at school by 8:20a.m. Every child should be in their classroom, seated, and ready to learn at 8:30a.m. Your child will be counted tardy if he/she arrives after 8:30a.m.

If your child is absent, be sure to turn in a doctor's note or written note signed by a parent within 3 days of the child's absence can be excused. If your child is out with fever, vomiting, or diarrhea, he/she must be free of symptoms for 24 hours (without medicine) before he/she can return to school.

If it is necessary for your child to be checked out of school early, please make arrangements to check him/her out prior to 3:15. It is very difficult to call for a child during dismissal preparation and dismissal.

Your cooperation with these requests is greatly appreciated. We want your child to have every chance to succeed at Terrell Elementary, and we feel and excellent education begins with good attendance.

Please make every effort to maintain a consistent dismissal plan for your children. Changing dismissal plans requires the office staff to interrupt the instructional program to deliver change messages, and it also can create confusion for the children and the staff members.

If it is necessary to change dismissal plans, please contact the office as early as possible (prior to 3:00) or send a handwritten note to your child's teacher in the morning upon arrival. Teachers will NOT change a dismissal plan based on a verbal message from a student. We must receive a written note or a phone call directly from the parent/guardian.

Please keep in mind that the front office is exceptionally busy, particularly from 3:00 - 4:00 every day. So your help with maintaining a consistent dismissal plan and/or communicating early and clearly with the school regarding necessary changes is greatly appreciated.

Dear Terrell Elementary Parents/Guardians:

Vitally important to the educational process is maintaining appropriate and consistent attendance practices. Listed below are some very important items to remember as you consider your child's daily attendance.

Instruction begins at 8:30. Students arriving after 8:30 must be signed in by a parent/guardian. Students arriving after 8:30 will be counted tardy.

The school day officially ends at 3:30. Students departing before 3:30 will be counted as an early departure.

Tardies and early departures are documented, and parents/guardians will be subject to truancy charges being filed. Truancy can be filed if the student is absent for three or more days or parts of days within a four - week period, OR is absent from school for ten or more days or parts of days within a six - month period in the same school year (See page 3 of DISD Student Handbook).

Students must be in attendance a minimum of 90% of the school year in order for the student to be promoted to the next grade level. The 90% standard applies to excused OR unexcused absences (See page 3 of DISD Student Handbook). Our instructional time at Terrell is precious; therefore our goal is to maximize the amount of time we have your children in the instructional program on a daily basis.

Please make every effort possible to have your children fully prepared for the instructional day every day from 8:30 - 3:30. Your careful consideration of these important attendance and instructional issues is greatly appreciated by the staff of Terrell Elementary.

If you have any questions regarding these matters, please contact the office at 903-462-7550.

Sincerely,

Dr. David Kirkbride

Terrell Elementary, Principal