Reporting Student Absences

Student safety is of paramount importance at the Vancouver School District. Ensuring student safety is a shared responsibility. In order to assist schools, we ask parents to notify schools of student absences. If your child will be late or absent from school, please phone the school to report this absence as early as possible. 

Reporting student lates and absences:

There are two ways to report your child(ten) being away from school:

     Phone: Please call 604-713-5159 ext. 25 - prior to 9am and leave a message with your child(ren)'s full      name, division or teacher, dates of absence and reason for absence.

     Email: Please email dgsaattendance@vsb.bc.ca prior to 9am and leave a message with your child(ren)'s full name, division or teacher, dates of absence and reason for absence.

If your child arrives after 9am, please sign them in at the front office. The binder is located near the front entrance.

Messages will be received before the office is open. School offices are busy places: consistently notifying the school in advance of your child’s absence will significantly improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the Safe Arrival Morning Routine.

Student Sign Out Procedure

When you pick up your child during the school day, please ensure that you sign them out at the school office. If you do not sign out your child, they will be unaccounted for, and the school will identify your child as a ‘missing’ student and will commence a search of school grounds. If the school staff do not locate the child, and are unable to reach a parent promptly, the school will call the Vancouver Police Department. Therefore, clear communication is essential for ensuring the safety of your child and to prevent unnecessary searches.

Thank you for helping us keep your children safe!

Students on Holiday when School is in Session 

Please note that teachers will not be providing learning materials for students who are on holidays when school is in session. Learning is experiential and happens in many shapes and forms in the course of the day. If you are on holiday, make sure to engage with your child, have books handy, and encourage your child to keep a journal of memories. Please remember to let the office know of your child’s absence.