With Nov. 3 election coming up, students’ attendance may be affected if they participate. In past elections, some students have missed some or all of the school day working the polls or voting.

Student services assistant and attendance specialist Mrs. Angela McGruder is in charge of marking and recording the absences of students throughout the year. McGruder wrote in an email, “To my knowledge, the majority of the students vote before or after school.”

Students working the polls will be excused from school that day.

She also wrote, “Students will be excused as long as their parents call the school’s attendance line to confirm and excuse them.” She said its best if parents alert the school sooner than later. “This helps me input the information into PowerSchool so that the teachers are aware of which students will be absent from class. It could also potentially help the cafeteria know how much food to prepare for the day,” she wrote.

She said that “a very small percent” of students are out each year due to the election. Most students vote before or after school, and the few who do are asked to return to campus for classes. Parents of the students who will be out are asked to call the attendance line.

Those who are planning to miss school due to voting are asked to alert the school beforehand. Their absence will be marked on PowerSchool as P for Excused Personal. She wrote, “If you vote, make sure you get one of those cool stickers.”