Please review Policy 9010: https://policy.hcpss.org/9000/9010/. If your student is absent or will be absent, please contact us at the following email address to explain the reason (we can not take this information verbally): wlhsabsence@hcpss.org. In the email, please include the following information:
- Student First and Last Name
- Grade
- Reason for absence (e.g., illness, bereavement, observance of a religious holiday, lack of transportation)
- Discretionary Days
HCPSS students are granted 3 days a year to use at their discretion for scheduled interviews with prospective employers, visits to post-secondary institutions, family trips, civic engagement, and other special events. Such absences may not occur during exam or state-mandated testing periods unless authorized by the principal/designee. A written request for such absences to be lawful/excused should be submitted at least one week in advance to the principal/designee. Please download the PDF fillable Discretionary Absence Form and email it to wlhsabsence@hcpss.org. The form is also available in Chinese, Korean, and Spanish
If you are requesting a day for a religious holiday not identified by the Howard County Public School System school calendar, please download the PDF fillable Religious Obligation Form and email it to wlhsabsence@hcpss.org.
Please see the
regarding attendance statistics from Assistant Principal Swartz for more information.