Arrival/Dismissal Procedures

Arrival/Attendance

The kindergarten and preschool programs begin at 8:30 a.m. Students are expected to arrive at least five minutes before the start of class. Students can be dropped off starting at 8:00 a.m.

Absences

If your child is absent, please notify the main office by email at: awsmail@austinwaldorf.org or by calling (512) 288-5942 along with emailing your teacher.

Picking Up Early

To ensure the safety and security of our students, a check-out pass must be obtained from the main office by the parent or guardian of any student who leaves campus before the usual pickup time. A check-out pass must be obtained directly before the student is to leave campus. The parent or guardian may then retrieve the student from his or her class.

Dismissal/Noon Program

12:00 p.m. pick-up. Please be on time. We strongly recommend a rest time after lunch.

Dismissal/Afternoon Program

Full-day kindergarten/EC students may be picked up from the kindergarten playground.

In severe weather, kindergarten/EC students will be in the classroom or cubby porch between 2:30-3:35 p.m.

3:35 p.m. Drive-through pick-up begins at the early childhood loop.

To facilitate pick-up, do not park in the Early Childhood spaces closest to the buildings after 3:20 p.m.

The Aftercare Program

Aftercare begins at 4:00 p.m., for a separate fee, on the lower grades playground. In inclement weather, students will be in the Performing Arts Center/Recital Hall.

5:30 p.m. is the latest pick-up time for the Aftercare Program. All students must be signed out with the aftercare staff when they are picked up.

Parents are required to contact (phone or email) the main office by 8:30 a.m. on the day the child is absent, as AWS must know the whereabouts of all students expected at school.

• We urge parents to schedule all medical appointments and vacation plans for after school or on school holidays to avoid excessive absence. Please speak with your student's teacher when family emergencies, religious observances, or unusual circumstances arise. Notify the main office when your child will be absent.
• Students are responsible for missed work. When a student is absent for an extended period of time, the parent is responsible to contact all teachers to determine work that needs to be completed.
• If the student is absent more than 10 consecutive days within a month, the administration will contact parents to discuss the effects on the student's educational needs and to engage in a problem-solving dialogue. The student's continued enrollment in Austin Waldorf School may be jeopardized.
• If a student is not in attendance for 30 consecutive calendar days (excluding official school holidays), and if no prior written arrangements have been made and approved, then AWS will consider the student voluntarily withdrawn from enrollment and subject to the tuition/fees liability under the terms of the Enrollment Contract.

Arrival

Morning drop-off begins at 8:00. Students should go to their designated playground upon arrival. At 8:15 first- and second-grade students should go to the lower grades playground. 3rd-8th grade students should go directly to their classrooms. In inclement weather all grades students should go to the Gym.

Tardiness

In all grades, the main lesson begins promptly 8:30 a.m. Students who arrive after 8:25 a.m. are considered tardy and must check in at the main office to receive an admittance slip before going to the classroom. It is important for students to arrive on time so that they can be a part of starting the day together in community with their class. Teachers will reach out to parents of students who are routinely late to brainstorm solutions.

Dismissal

Grades 1-8: at 3:35 p.m., students move to designated pick-up areas.

It is against school rules to meet anywhere else or for a child to await pick-up in any other location. Infractions of this rule cause serious safety concerns on behalf of the child. No student may be on campus unsupervised.

At 3:55 p.m., all remaining children at pick-up locations move to the lower grades playground and are signed into Aftercare.

With permission of the Aftercare staff, students may sign themselves out in the following instances:

• Grades 3-5 may sign out to music lessons or tutoring sessions with written permission from a parent and consent of the Aftercare staff.
• Grades 6-8 may sign out to music lessons, tutoring sessions, or if on a school team, to practice or games (only team members can sign themselves out to either practice or games).

Unless the student is picked up directly from the lesson or event, they must return to extended day to ensure their safety on the campus.

Parents are responsible for Aftercare fees if children are not picked up during drive-through pick-up.

Please remember to sign out with the Aftercare staff when you pick up your child.

Early Dismissal

To ensure the safety and security of our students, a check-out pass must be obtained from the main office by the parent or guardian of any student who leaves campus before the usual pick-up time. Check-out passes must be obtained directly before the student is to leave campus. The parent or guardian may then retrieve the student from his or her class.

School Day

The school day begins at 8:30 a.m. with Main Lesson. All other classes continue according to the high school schedule until 3:25. Campus care is from 3:25-3;35, with dismissal at 3:35 p.m. After 4:00 p.m. students waiting for a late ride may wait in the high school courtyard, however, no supervision will be provided.

Attendance Expectations

Students are expected to avoid unnecessary absences and tardies, as continued absence and lateness compromises a student's ability to learn and adversely affects the overall community.

• Parents and students are encouraged to make appointments for the student outside of school hours. Recurring appointments during school hours should be avoided.
• Parents and students are expected to arrange rides so that the student arrives at school on time.
• Students are expected to move from one class to another in a timely manner, arriving before the bell rings at the beginning of each class.

Absence Process

If a student will be absent, the following must occur:

• Parents call (512) 301-9550 or email the registrar at highschool@austinwaldorf.org before or on the day of absence by 8:30 a.m. to notify the school and provide a reason for the absence.
• Students reach out to teachers to receive class content and missed assignments.

Late Arrival Process

If a student will be late to school, the following must occur:

• The student comes to the office to sign in and get a tardy slip so they will be admitted to class.
• If a student will be arriving after 8:30 a.m. due to an appointment, a parent must call (512) 301-9550 or email the registrar at highschool@austinwaldorf.org to provide a reason for the late arrival. Alternatively, the student can turn in an official doctor's note from the appointment.
• Excused tardies are due to a pre-arranged appointment, an unexpected major traffic delay, or an unforeseeable issue on the way to school (flat tire, involvement in an accident, etc.).
• Late arrivals for other reasons are considered unexcused tardies.

Class Tardy Process

• Students arriving to one of their classes after the bell has rung, must obtain a late admittance slip from the high school office.
• If an admittance slip is not presented to the teacher, the teacher will request that the student go to the high school office to obtain one.

Early Departure Process

If a student will be leaving early, the following steps are required:

• A parent calls or emails the high school administrative assistant (512 301-9550, or highschool@austinwaldorf.org), or signs out their student in the high school office.
• Students sign out at the high school office before leaving campus.

Senior Off-Campus Lunch Process

Seniors in good standing are permitted to leave campus for lunch. To use this privilege, the senior must:

• Have a lunch departure permission form signed by a parent and on file with the high school administration.
• Sign out and sign in on the senior lunch clipboard and check in their phone upon return.
• Drive only themselves and other enrolled AWS seniors who are permitted to leave campus.
• Ride only with an enrolled AWS senior who is permitted to leave campus.
• Be on time for their next class.

Additional conditions:

• Seniors who do not adhere to the above policies will have their off-campus privileges revoked.
• Seniors may have their senior lunch privileges suspended at any time, for a period of time determined by the high school director, as part of a T.A.R.E. process.
• Repeated infractions may result in permanent revocation of off-campus lunch privileges.

Planned Absence/Tardy Process

• The parent communicates dates of the absence to the high school office.
• The student communicates with their teachers to receive assignments to complete while they are away or before the planned absence.
• Parents confirm that their student has communicated with their teachers and a plan is in place for completing missed work.

Excused Absence/Tardies

An absence is considered excused when both conditions are met:

• Parents have contacted the high school office by 8:30 a.m. or before the day/time of the absence.
• The reason for the absence/tardy is:
  • Illness
  • Family emergency
  • Medical procedure
  • Religious observance
  • Funeral
  • Wedding
  • College visit
  • Athletic event
  • Appointment
  • Unexpected major traffic delay
  • Something else of a serious enough nature to require a student to miss school

Planned extended absences (more than 3 school days), even if excused, are strongly discouraged.

Unexcused Absence/Tardies

Unexcused absences should be strictly avoided. An unexcused absence occurs if any of the following conditions are met:

• Parents do not notify the school of the absence by 8:30 a.m. or before the day/time of the absence/tardy.
• The reason for the absence/tardy is:
  • Vacation
  • Leisure travel
  • Social or recreational activities
  • Doing homework
  • Employment
  • Lingering between classes

If a student has recurring unexcused absences or tardies, the T.A.R.E. process (see Disciplinary Policies page for more details) will be utilized to help the student and family restore positive attendance practices:

• 2 unexcused tardies or absences in a class during one semester → Pre-T.A.R.E.
• 3 unexcused tardies or absences in a class during one semester → T.A.R.E. Level 1
• 4 unexcused tardies or absences in a class during one semester → T.A.R.E. Level 2
• 5 unexcused tardies or absences in a class during one semester → T.A.R.E. Level 3
• Continued unexcused tardies or absences → T.A.R.E. Level 4

Absences on the Day of Performances, Class Plays, or Other Curricular Events

Performances, plays, or other curricular events are required. A student who was absent during the school day is expected to attend a curricular event if at all possible. An unexcused absence at a curricular event may impact a student's final grade for the course.

Absence from School on the Day of Extracurricular Events

• A student who has an excused absence may attend extracurricular events (athletics practices or games, social events, etc.) on that day.
• A student who has an unexcused absence is NOT eligible to participate in extracurricular events (athletics practices or games, social events, etc.) on that day.

Absence Policy for Non-Graded Curricular Events

• Students are required to participate in non-graded curricular events. This includes, but is not limited to: assemblies, campouts, field trips, and class trips.
• Parents of a student who anticipates being unable to participate in a non-graded curricular event due to serious extenuating circumstances should communicate with the high school director as soon as possible.

Accommodations for Athletics or Other School Events

Students participating as a team member in AWS school sports or other school sanctioned events, which require missing class or traveling 30 minutes or more away from school on a school night, may utilize the following accommodations:

• A study hall during a scheduled gym class the same week as the away game or event.
• One-day extension, without penalty, for presentations or assessments during a missed class.
• One-day extension, without penalty, for assignments due on the day after the absence or travel that were assigned that day.
• Extensions are not automatically granted, and students are expected to make this request of their teachers.