In April 2026, the Ontario Ministry of Education introduced Bill 101, the Putting Student Achievement First Act, 2026, which includes a number of reforms. Among those changes is a new policy aimed at reducing student absenteeism.
As a result, school boards are now required to follow a new procedure for reporting absences.
Please follow these steps to ensure your child's absence is excused:
Step 1: Report the absence
Report your child's absence using one of the following methods:
a) Edsby
b) A written note
c) Calling the school @ 519-734-1237 and ask for Attendance.
This will result in your child being marked "absent."
Step 2: Request that the absence be excused
Going forward, you must also have your child's absence excused by the school Principal so that it does not impact their final mark. Under the Education Act, the Principal may excuse a student's absence for approved reasons.
To request this, do one of the following:
a) If you reported the absence through Edsby, also email your school's attendance email address. You can do this by emailing: [email protected]
b) Submit a written, signed note to the school.
c) If you reported the absence by phone, leave a detailed voicemail.
Please include all necessary information in the email, note, or voicemail: the student's full name, the date and time period of the absence, and the specific reason for it.
Please note: If you do not receive an auto-reply from the attendance email, please call the school to ensure the absence request was received.
Note: Comments left in Edsby's comment box will not be accepted as a request for a Principal-excused absence.
Step 2 (a, b, or c) must be completed within 48 hours of the absence. Requests received after this window will not be considered; the absence will not be excused, and your child's final mark may be affected.
Please follow this procedure every time you report an absence, to avoid any impact on your child's final mark.
Leaving school during the day
If a student needs to leave school during the school day, they need to notify the attendance office with a note or phone call from home before leaving the building.
Remote learning absence
We still take attendance during remote learning. If a student is not online and you have not reported their absence, you will receive a call from the school, inquiring about the absence.