Attendance Policy
Regular daily attendance is very important. It assists children in their academic progress and helps them to be more secure in their school group. It also gives them an appreciation of the importance of education. All outside activities should be scheduled after school hours. Dental and medical appointments should also be arranged for after school hours whenever possible.
Tardiness/Absences
Promptness will help your child with establishing a sense of responsibility and dependability. Roger Ludlowe Middle School is using School Dismissal Manager (SDM) to track student absences and early dismissals.
Welcome to School Dismissal Manager (SDM), an organized and more efficient tracking system for your student's absences and early dismissals! Using your desktop or smartphone browser, quickly and easily update your child's absences and early dismissal instructions when they need to be changed, making it no longer necessary to call or send notes and emails to the school.
SDM's easy-to-use interface will allow you to make changes in advance or for the current day by creating “exceptions”. When creating an exception for the current day, note that the cut-off time is 9:00 a.m. for both the regular and early release days. After the cut-off time you will need to call the school office to make any changes for the current day.
Here are a few Fast Facts that you will need to know for getting started:
1. The app is compatible with Android and Apple devices and apps can be found in the respective app stores or via our website. IMPORTANT: If you are an existing School Dismissal Manager user, please ensure your app has the latest UPDATED version. If your phone is set to update automatically no action is required but those that don’t will need to update manually.
a. Android – Search in the Play Store for School Dismissal Manager and Install -OR- open a Chrome browser window, go to www.schooldismissalmanager.com, and login. Then click the three stacked dots at the top right corner, scroll down and click on Add to Home Screen, and follow the onscreen instructions to install the app.
b. iPhone – Search in the App Store for School Dismissal Manager and Install -OR- open a Safari browser, go to www.schooldismissalmanager.com, and login. Then click on the box with the arrow pointing up, scroll down, and click Add to Home Screen. Type in (or click on if auto-filled) SDM and then tap Add to install the app.
2. New parents will receive a username and temporary password from School Dismissal Manager. Please be on the lookout for this email in your inbox or spam folder. You will be asked to set up your custom password in the login process. Returning parents may log in using their previous username and password.
3. First Login
a. Check your child's default dismissal (how your child goes home most days) and make sure it is set correctly. If changes are needed, select the green Set/View Default button above the calendar or if using the SDM app, select Default Dismissal from the menu at the top left, to set the correct dismissal.
b. Upon initial login, your child's default will be "Bus Rider". If you normally pick them up after school or they walk home, please click Set/View Default and choose the applicable default ("Car Pickup" or "Walker"). If there are times when your child's dismissal plan after school differs from the default, you DO NOT need to report it. At the middle school level, we begin to set a path to independence and personal responsibility. Students are expected to be responsible for following their dismissal plan when school dismisses. This can include taking the bus, walking, staying at school for a club or extra help, or being picked up by a parent. Please communicate directly with your child. The only time you need to enter a dismissal exception in SDM is if you are picking your child up EARLY.
4. Reporting Your Child will be Absent: We will be utilizing SDM’s Absent option for parents to report their child absent. Select the day on the calendar that your child will be absent, then select Add Exception, and choose Absent from the dropdown options, filling out the necessary information. SDM does not determine if absences are excused or unexcused and you must still provide the school office with a doctor’s note when required and as specified in our school’s policies.
5. Reporting Your Child will Leave Early: We will be utilizing SDM’s Leaving Early option so that parents can let the school know when their child is being picked up early. Select the day on the calendar that your child will be picked-up early, then select Add Exception, and choose Leaving Early. You will immediately be asked if your child is coming back to school. Select Yes or No and then fill out the remaining information. Depending on whether you answered yes or no, SDM will create the appropriate dismissal exception or notification to the office once you click Submit. You must still come to the front door at the main office to sign your child out and adhere to any rules or guidelines specified in our school’s policies.
6. Reporting a Late Arrival: We will be utilizing SDM’s Late Arrival feature so that parents can let the school know when their child will be arriving late to school. Select the day on the calendar that your child will be arriving late, then select Add Late Arrival, fill out the reason, and click Submit. SDM does not determine if students are tardy and your child must still come into the office to sign in and adhere to any rules or guidelines specified in our school’s policies. Students will be marked ABSENT until they arrive at school.
7. The Parent Dashboard always displays the current and following week. Days where there is no school or there is an early dismissal will be clearly marked. To opt in for text messages, click Preferences in the top menu to add your mobile number.
8. Email Notifications: When receiving email notifications regarding dismissal changes or cancellations made, know that hitting Reply or Reply All on those emails does not reply to the school or person making the change. If you need to respond to a notification (i.e., to inform the school it is incorrect, provide additional details, etc.), click Help in your top menu and fill out the details to email the office.
9. FAQs: As you begin to use School Dismissal Manager, if you have questions, check the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) link found in the Parent login area at the top of the SDM homepage or click on Help in your top menu. Here, you will find answers to the most commonly asked questions. If your question remains unanswered after checking here, please contact the school office and we will be happy to assist you further.
If you find you need further assistance, contact Komal Kulkarni at kkulkarni@fairfieldschools.org. For reasons of safety and security, SDM staff does not respond to parent requests or emails and will redirect any parent callers to the school office.
If students arrive to school after 8:10 am, an adult must escort them to the office to sign them in and obtain a late pass.