Safe Arrival Program

Student Safe Arrival Program

Elementary Safe Arrival UPDATE – REPORTING DAILY ABSENCES & LATES

In accordance with the TDSB Safe Arrival policy PR707A, “If a pupil is absent or late for any reason, the Parent(s)/Guardian(s) must contact the school immediately to report the reason for the absence”.

The Toronto District School Board uses SchoolMessenger as its automated call-out system for our Elementary Safe Arrival Program. 

  • Parents/Guardians may now call SchoolMessenger directly Toll-Free
    1-833-250-2290, (between 7:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m.) to report their child(ren)’s absence for the current day or a future date.

SchoolMessenger Safe Arrival App

You may call and leave a message on the school answering machine IF you call prior to 8:00 am. You will need to leave the following information:

  • your child's name
  • your child's grade and room number
  • your child's teacher's name
  • reason for absence
  • the date of your child's absence

While it is appreciated that you let your child’s teacher know, they are not always able to pass this information along to the office in a timely manner. Please use the above process to avoid unnecessary interruptions to your day with personal and/or automated calls.

If Parents/Guardians do not report their child(ren)’s absence(s) prior to the start of school, they will be contacted by SchoolMessenger and must indicate the reason for the absence. If your believe you have a call in error please call the school office (416-394-2244) immediately so that we may reassure you that your child is in class.           

The telephone number 1-833-250-2290 will display on the caller ID.


For unexplained absences, the system call-out will work as follows:

  • Parents/Guardians identified in the TDSB’s student database who have access to student records and are an emergency contact with priority 1 or 2 will receive both e-mail notification and call(s) of the unexplained absence.
  • When you receive the call, you are required to listen to the entire message and follow the prompts accordingly.
  • You will be asked if you are aware or unaware of your child’s absence.
  • If unaware, you will be asked to call the school immediately.
  • If you are aware of the absence, you will be asked to enter the reason for your child’s absence.Reasons are the same for full day absences (new to School Messenger) or late arrival.The following options will be provided for you:
    • Illness
    • Doctor Appointment
    • Dentist Appointment
    • Family Matter
    • Weather
    • Other
  • For a late arrival, please indicate that your child will be absent. Once the child signs in at the school office, the absence will be changed to a late (provided they arrive prior to the lunch hour).
  • After the message, you will have to press 2 to confirm you received the message.
  • If you do not confirm receipt, you will receive a call on other phone numbers provided, except for business numbers.
  • If there is no response from a Priority 1 contact, this same process will be followed for Priority 2 contacts.
  • If there is no response from either Priority 1 or Priority 2, this entire process will be repeated 3 times in 10-minute intervals or until call-out time is over (approx. 25mins).
  • A confirmation e-mail will be sent to both Priority 1 and Priority 2 contacts with the reason selected by one of the Parents/Guardians.

This same process will be followed for the afternoon attendance.

In the evening, all Parents/Guardians of students who were late (without a reason) that day will receive a call informing them of their child’s tardiness.

It is important that your contact information on file at the office is up to date.Please let the office know immediately if your contact information changes at any time throughout the school year.

We recognize that regular attendance is essential to the safety, academic success, and well-being of all students.Thank you for your continued cooperation with keeping your child safe and accounted for. 

 

LEAVING SCHOOL DURING THE INSTRUCTIONAL DAY

When a student has to leave the school during the instructional day, the parent/guardian must send a note with the child indicating what time the child is to be dismissed and the reason for the dismissal. The student will give the note to the classroom teacher at the beginning of the day. Please go to the office and we will call up to the classroom for your child to come to the office to meet you. The student must be signed out at the office by the parent/guardian when they leave the school. If the student is returning to the school that same day, he/she is to sign back in at the office.

In case of sickness or injury, the office staff will try to contact the parent/guardian and ask that arrangements be made to pick the child up from the school. Under no circumstance will a child be sent home unattended. If a child is in need of immediate medical attention, the Principal or designate will arrange for the child to be taken to the hospital. The parent/guardian will be informed as to which hospital the child has been taken and the parent/guardian will be expected to proceed to that location.


TELEPHONE USE

A telephone is located in the main office for student use. Students may only use the phone with permission from the office staff. Arrangements for visiting a friend's home at lunchtime and/or after school should be made from home prior to the day of the visit. The office staff will not facilitate last minute arrangements through phone calls or emails.