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Attendance

There are a few things that all families need to know about school attendance, which are detailed below.  We realize that many elementary school families are new to understanding school attendance laws, and it is our desire to help you and ensure student success.  As a district, the School District of South Milwaukee is focusing on improving attendance at all grade levels.  Student success begins with students being in the classroom every day.

  • Please post this calendar in a prominent place in your home and add the dates to your family calendar right away, including early release dates and non-school days.

  • You can always find the same calendar on the school district webpage

 

We want every student to succeed.  It is hard for us to help your child(ren) succeed if they are not at school for the full day, each and every day.  It may not sound like a lot, but students who miss two days of school per month are gone 18 days in a school year (10% of the school year), making them chronically truant under the law and negatively impacting their long-term academic achievement.

There are times when a student should not be in school (illness) and times when families will go on a vacation.  In moderation, this is acceptable and planned for in state law.  Please understand that absences and tardies have become a large community issue in South Milwaukee and we plan to follow up on all absences issues in 2023-24.  We will work with families that are conscientious about attendance, but we will do our duty to enforce Wisconsin state law and School District policy for chronically truant students.   Please feel free to contact your principal if you have any questions.

The School Day

School starts at 8:15 AM and lasts until 3:20 PM.

Student pickup

All students are to be picked up immediately at 3:35 PM dismissal.  It is not acceptable to call the office and ask the office to hold your child(ren).  Please make alternate arrangements at the beginning of the school year for these emergencies, such as walking home with a friend or being picked up by another relative.  Students who are old enough and live close enough to school should be able to walk home or to a trusted residence.  The office can relay this type of message to students.  Please practice these alternate plans with your student(s).

Snowdays, cold days, or emergency closings

  • We will have school unless the district cancels. There is no need to call school and ask if we are open.  

  • Every district makes its own decision.  We are the School District of South Milwaukee, which is separate from Milwaukee Public Schools.  

  • If South Milwaukee is open for school and you choose not to send your student to school, it counts as an absence.

  • If school is closed, the district will notify families with a phone call, on the school website, Facebook, and Twitter.  It will also be on local radio and TV stations.