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Sunnyslope Elementary School

Home of the Superstars!

Attendance

Attendance

Image promoting the 2025 Attendance Awareness Campaign, featuring students and graduates.

Regular attendance is vital to the quality of a child's education. Parents are the key in establishing and maintaining punctual, regular attendance habits. Each school has specific attendance policies listed in student handbooks; parents are encouraged to review these policies with their students.

If a child is kept home due to illness, the child's school should be notified as soon as possible. School personnel will try to contact parents if this has not been done.

Please call the office or email: Grunenfe or Duffy to report an absence, late arrival or early pick-up. 

Physicians advise that a child be fever-free 24 hours before resuming normal activity. Parents/guardians must provide a written explanation/excuse for a student to take to school the day he/she returns from an absence. Parents may request that their child's teacher(s) provide makeup assignments to prevent the child from falling behind the rest of the class.

As a safety precaution, students are not allowed to leave the school campus during school hours without clearance from the school principal/designee.

Students collaborate on a project, with text "Showing Up Together! Attendance Matters" visible.

Attendance

We know that there are a wide range of reasons that students are absent from school, from health concerns to transportation challenges.  Whatever the reason, our building staff are prepared to help with the challenges and getting your student to school regularly and on-time.

State Law requires that we track attendance daily, to notice when your student is missing from class, communicate with you to understand why they were absent, and to identify barriers and supports available to overcome challenges facing you and your student. The annual attendance letter can be found in the Student, Family, and Staff Handbook that is published each year. 

School Policies and State Laws
It is important that you understand our school policies and procedures, as well as Washington State Law, to ensure your child is successful in school. State law for mandatory attendance, called the Becca Bill, requires children from age 8 to 17 to attend a public school, private school, or a district-approved home school program. Children that are 6 or 7 years-old are not required to be enrolled in school. However, if parents enroll their 6- or 7-year-old, the student must attend full-time.

Did You Know?

  • Starting in kindergarten, too many absences (excused and unexcused) can cause children to fall behind in school.
  • Missing 10 percent (or about 18 days) increases the chance that your student will not read or master math at the same level as their peers.
  • Students can still fall behind if they miss just a day or two days every few weeks.
  • Being late to school may lead to poor attendance.
  • Absences can affect the whole classroom if the teacher has to slow down learning to help children catch up.
  • By 6th grade, absenteeism is one of three signs that a student may drop out of high school.
  • By being present at school, your child learns valuable social skills and has the opportunity to develop meaningful relationships with other students and school staff.
  • Absences can be a sign that a student is losing interest in school, struggling with schoolwork, dealing with a bully, or facing some other potentially serious difficulty.
  • By 9th grade, regular and high attendance is a better predictor of graduation rates than 8th grade test scores.

  • The BECCA Law, established in 1995, requires that a student has no more that seven (7) unexcused absences in a month or fifteen (15) during a school year.  Originally, the law covered 8-18-year-old youth but was expanded in July 1999 to include parents of 6 and 7-year-olds as well, and in February 2012, the upper age was reduced to 17. 

    If a student meets this criterion, the district or the student’s home school, is mandated to file a truancy petition with the Juvenile Court.  If the student does not return to school or has even one more unexcused absence, the district and/or school building will refer the student to the Community Engagement Board.

    History and Programs:

    In 1993, a 13-year-old runaway named Rebecca Hedman (BECCA) was murdered in Spokane, far from her home in Tacoma.  In 1995, a group of parents and legislators came together and successfully pushed for and passed legislation to prevent situations like this from happening again.  The so-called “BECCA Bill” addresses several areas of public policy, including those affecting truant, at-risk, and runaway youth.

    Truancy

    All youth between the ages of 8-18 are required to attend school every day.  When these youth fail to attend their assigned schools, they are considered truant.

    At-Risk Youth (ARY)

    An at-risk youth is defined by statute as a child under the age of 18 who meets at least one of the following three requirements:

    • Is absent from home for at least 72 consecutive hours without parental consent; or
    • Is beyond parental control such that the child’s behavior endangers the health, safety, or welfare of the child or any other person; or
    • Has a substance abuse problem for which there are no pending criminal charges relating to the substance abuse.

    The purpose of the At-Risk Youth program is to allow parents a process in which they can request and receive assistance and support from the court in maintaining the care, custody, and control of their child.

    Child In Need of Services (CHINS)

    A child in need of services is defined by statute as a child under the age of 18 who meets at least one of the following three requirements:

    • Is beyond parental control such that the child’s behavior endangers the health, safety, or welfare of the child or other person; or
    • Has been reported to law enforcement as absent without consent for at least 24 consecutive hours from the parent’s home, a crisis residential center, an out-of-home placement, or a court-ordered placement on two or more separate occasions and has exhibited a serious substance abuse problem or behaviors that create a serious risk of hard to the health, safety, or welfare of the child or any other person; or
    • Is in need of necessary services, including food, shelter, health care, clothing, educational, or services designed to maintain or reunite the family and lacks access to or has declined to utilize these services, and who parents have evidenced continuing but unsuccessful efforts to maintain the family structure or are unable or unwilling to continue efforts to maintain the family structure.

    The purpose of CHINS is to get a court order requiring temporary placement (for up to nine months) of a child in a residence other than the home of his/her parent.  The need for placement must be based on a serious conflict between the parent and the child and cannot be resolved as long as the child remains at home.  A child, parent, or DCYF may file a CHINS petition

  • Truancy Process (full size)

Community Engagement Board

What is the Community Engagement Board?

  • A board of awesome community members that have received specific training, that meets with students and families to identify barriers to attendance and recommend resources and services for improving attendance
  • The Community Engagement Board (CEB) acts as a bridge between student success and the community
  • Provide a supportive space for students with ongoing truancy issues to openly discuss and identify the reasons behind their truancy
  • The CEB works in partnership with local community partners, volunteers, district staff and the local juvenile court to intervene with students’ ongoing attendance barriers
  • Boards are highlighted as a key intervention in the truancy process.  According to our State Legislature, the CEB is a preferred means of intervention

The Community Engagement Board are held at the school district administration office.  They typically occur twice a month between the hours of 10:00 am – 2:00 pm.  The CEB are held both virtually and in-person.

The purpose of the Community Engagement Board is to provide an opportunity for the student and parent/guardian to meet with concerned community members and to be introduced to new ideas and resources with the purpose of improving student school engagement. 

    • 24/7 Crisis Line
      • If a student needs crisis intervention or stabilization from a Designated Crisis Responder; please have them call 1-888-910-0416. The family will be helped by Volunteers of America and then forward to KMHS Designated Crisis Responders (DCR)
    • Text 24/6 Crisis Line
      • If a student needs crisis intervention or stabilization they can text or direct message (DM) Volunteers of America and 1-800-747-8654
    • Child Protective Services (CPS)
      • If you suspect child abuse or neglect, please (a) call Child Protective Services at 1-888-713-6115 to report.
    • Coffee Oasis Services
    • Prepares – Pregnancy & Parenting Support
      • Baby Boutique providing newborn to size 6 clothing and diapers.  Open Mondays 11:00 – 12:00.  (360) 876-3035 St Gabriel Church 1150 Mitchell Ave
    • Kitsap Support Advocacy Counseling
      • Provides advocacy and therapy for victims and families who have experienced sexual assault or domestic violence. Has a 24/HR hotline for calls and text at 360-337-9773. If non-emergeny call 360-876-3282
    • Scarlet Road
      • Comprehensive support services for survivors for sexual exploitation & sex trafficking.  Has a 24/HR hotline for calls at 360-362-5143. Their office number is 360-850-9718

    • Catholic Community Services (CCS) WISe
      • For new referrals or to contact your student’s current team; please call CCS at 360-792-2020
    • Kitsap Mental Health Services (KMHS) WISe
      • If you have questions or need to get in contact with your students' WISE team call the WISe front desk number at 360-415-6697 (They are seeing families in person and in Zoom; Team and family preference)
    • KMHS Outpatient Services
      • If you have questions or need to get in contact with your students’ therapist. Please call KMHS Child and Family 360-479-4994
    • Summit Health Management
      • Mental health services, psychiatrist, and medication management. They are in Gig Harbor & North Kitsap but offer telehealth and take all insurances. Please call Sarah Martin at 253-858-7056 or email at admin@shmwa.com
      • Summit Health Management website
    • Charlie Health
      • Provides intensive outpatient therapy virtually for mental health and substance abuse for ages 12-24. They provide individual or family sessions. They are ONLY telehealth and take all insurances. Please call Laura at 406-624-7049 or call Leslie at 406-400-4325
    • Madrona Heights School Based Health Center
      • (Located in district at Discovery & operated by Peninsula Community Health)
      • Any student or staff can be seen for medical and mental health care but also for substance abuse concerns. Please call 360-377-3776 to schedule an appointment and walk-ins are also welcome.
    • National Alliance on Mental Health (Kitsap County)

    • Madrona Heights School-Based Health Center (Operated by Peninsula Community Health) 
      • ​​​​​​​Substance use/abuse services available. Please call PCHS directly at (360) 377-3776 to set up appointment
    • Summit Health (recovery issues)
      • ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​They are in Gig Harbor & North Kitsap but offer telehealth and take all insurances. Please call Sarah Martin at 253-858-7056 or email at admin@shmwa.com. 
      • Summit Health Website
    • Agape
      • Mental health treatment, chemical dependency treatment for intensive outpatient, outpatient, individual & group counseling, and family counseling. They also work closely with Juvenile Court for court order services for youth and adults. Please call 360-373-1529.
      • Agape Website
    • Coffee Oasis 
      • ​​​​​​​Offer chemical dependency support for students ages 13-25 from a CDP. They do offer 24/7 support and crisis response line. TEXT the word “help” to 360.377.5560. If your student is needing assistance with chemical dependency, please call 360-602-0408.

    • Bridges At Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital
      • Supports families with children between the ages of 4 and 18 who are coping with a loved one’s serious diagnosis or who have experienced the death of someone they care about. Bridges are supporting families through calls, emails, and virtual meetings.
      • Bridges Center for Grieving Children website or call 253-403-1966

    • Military OneSource
      • Has information about mental health supports/counseling, resources for moving, deployment support, and etc.
      • Military OneSource Website
    • Naval Base Kitsap School Liaison
      • Helps with supporting our military families through transferring to different schools, providing different community resources, and so much more.
      • Please call Rebecca Mclenithan at 360-476-7460 or visit the military liason website

    • Sixth Street Bremerton
      • Available free or sliding income scale income dental assistance. Insurance also accepted.
      • Location: 616 6th ST Bremerton, WA;
      • Phone: 360-478-2368
    • Linquist Dental Clinic
      • Clinic offer a sliding scale for children to receive dental assistance. Also accepts most insurance.
      • Location: at 3102 Wheaton Way Bremerton;
      • Phone: 360-377-0559
    • Peninsula Community Health Services
      • Specialized infant and child dental care. Sliding scale care available based on family income.
      • Location: 2508 Wheaton Way;
      • Phone: 360-377-3776
    • Violet Sees
      • Local organization that provides free eyeglasses to families that can’t afford it. They don’t require medication information but want everyone to fill out this questionnaire:
      • If you have questions please contact Jen at JEN@VIOLETSEES.ORG

    • Kitsap Rescue Mission
      • Homeless shelter and dayroom available at the Kitsap County Fairgrounds Pavilion during COVID.
      • For more information call 360-373-3428
    • Salvation Army
      • Homeless shelter and dayroom at Bremerton Salvation Army during COVID.
      • For more information call 360-373-5550
    • Coffee Oasis
      • Youth drop-in centers in Port Orchard and Poulsbo from 12:00 to 5:00 pm Monday thru Friday.
      • For more information call 360-377-5560

    • SK Helpline Food Bank
      • Open Monday through Friday at 12:00- 5:00pm at 1012 Mitchell Avenue in Port Orchard. For more information call 360-876-4089
    • LifeCare Food Bank
      • Open Saturdays from 9:00- 1:00pm in the lower level of Spirit of the Life Lutheran Church at 8730 Phillips Rd SE in Port Orchard.
      • For more information call 360-867-5094 
    • Salvation Army
      • Shelter, food bank, employment assistance, bill pay assistance, and rehab programs located at 832 6th St. Bremerton.
      • For more information call 360-373-5550 or email Lance.Walters@usw.salvationarmy.org   
    • St Vincent De Paul
      • Provides shelter, bill assistance and food. Locations in Bremerton and Port Orchard.
      • For more information call 360-377-2929
    • Life Care Community Services at Spirit of Life Lutheran Church
      • Address is A3901 SE Mullenix Rd Port Orchard Washington, 98367
      • Phone Number: 360-876-5094

    • First Lutheran Church
      • SK Family Kitchen serves free meal during the last two weeks of the month on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Fridays. Located at 2483 Mitchell Rd in Port Orchard.
      • For more information call (360) 876-3901
    • First Christian Church of Port Orchard
      • Serves a free dinner the last Sunday of every month at 5:30PM.
      • Location: 4885 SE Hovde Road, Port Orchard;
      • For more information call (360) 876-8172
    • Care Kitchen
      • Serves free dinner meal every Wednesday night from 5:00-6:00pm.
      • Location: 1780 Lincoln Ave in Port Orchard; This month the meal will be offered to go.
      • For more information call 360-867-5595

    • Kitsap Transit
      • Currently offering free transportation to anyone who has an appointment for their COVID Vaccine.
      • Families can call at 360-479-7272 or 800-422-2877
    • Para Transit
      • Offers free transportations to appointments for families or individuals that have Medicaid.
      • To Schedule a ride please call 360-377-7007 or 800-756-5438

    • Kitsap Community Resources (KCR)
      • Has put together a relief fund to aid residents facing financial hardships during COVID.  KCR currently has temporary housing available if a family may become homeless OR going to lose their housing. Funds can be used to provide short-term assistance to feed a family, pay for housing & other types of support. Assistance provided to Veterans through the Veteran’s Assistance Fund. KCR has several different locations but taking appointment only at the Bremerton location.
      • For more information call 360-473-2056 or visit the KCR website

  • Parents Can Build the Habit of Good Attendance

    ​​​​​​​Parents want their children to do well in school but many don’t fully understand the connection between chronic absence and a student’s academic achievement. Hand out these flyers to help build the habit of attendance!

    Download many of these handouts translated into Spanish, Chinese, Tagalog and Vietnamese.

    Download Handouts

What Can You Do?

  • Set a regular bedtime and morning routine.
  • Prepare for school the night before, finishing homework and getting a good night’s sleep.
  • Find out what day school starts and make sure your child has the required immunizations.
  • Don’t let your student stay home unless they are truly sick. Keep in mind complaints of a stomachache or headache can be a sign of anxiety and not a reason to stay home.
  • Avoid appointments and extended trips when school is in session.
  • Develop back-up plans for getting to school if something comes up. Call on a family member, a neighbor, or another parent.
  • Keep track of your student’s attendance. Missing more than 9 days could put your student at risk of falling behind.
  • Talk to your student about the importance of attendance.
  • Talk to your student’s teachers if you notice sudden changes in behavior. These could be tied to something going on at school.
  • Encourage meaningful afterschool activities, including sports and clubs