Attendance

Consistent attendance is essential for children to learn and make progress. When students are late, picked up early, or absent, they miss instruction. Parents/guardians are responsible for seeing that their children receive instruction in compliance with MN Statute 120A.22. The district’s expectation is that your children will attend school all day, every day that school is in session.

Reporting an absence

Please call the Brooklyn Middle attendance line at 763-569-7616 before 9 a.m. on the day your child is absent. When leaving a message, please include your child's name, grade and the reason for the absence.

When a parent/guardian does not call the school, the school may attempt to reach someone at home or at work. It is the parent’s responsibility to furnish the school within three school days the reason for their child’s absence, otherwise the absence will be considered truant.

Appointments

A parent/guardian must send a note excusing their student from school for appointments. The student must bring the note to the office before school to get a pass and then sign out at the time of leaving. A parent/guardian is required to come into the office to sign out their student at the time of leaving. A photo ID will be requested in order to remove a child from school. The student must sign back in when returning to school.

Closed campus

The middle school is a closed campus. Under no circumstances may any student leave school property after arriving without parent/guardian permission and office sign out. Any student leaving campus without authorization who returns to the building may be searched.

Extended student absences

Contact the school office and teachers to make prior arrangements for homework for any extended student absence.

Homework requests 

If your child has been absent for three or more consecutive days, you may call the office and request homework. It may be picked up after school on the following day. This request is to be made through the main office or your child’s counselor.

Parent/guardian absence

If you will be away from home and your child will be under the supervision of another person, please call or send a note to the office with the dates you will be away, the name of the person with whom your child will be staying, and telephone numbers where this person may be reached during the school day.

Minnesota law 

The State of Minnesota requires that all children between the ages of six and sixteen attend school every day that school is in session.

Truancy

Truancy is being absent from school or class without the approval of the building authorities. The authority to decide whether an absence is excused or unexcused rests with the building principal. There are no authorized skip days.

Note: Absences due to a missed bus, no clean clothes, staying at home to babysit younger siblings, oversleeping, or chronic medical excuses without a doctor's note are not considered "lawful absences" by a court, according to the Hennepin County Attorney's Office.