Students are expected to arrive at school and classes on time throughout the day. If tardy to school, the student needs to report to the health aide in the school clinic and receive a pass to class. If efforts to remedy a student's punctuality problems fail, the matter will be referred to the principal.

Richards School provides a mandatory absence call system for students in kindergarten through fifth grade to provide a safety measure for our families. The system's effectiveness requires parents to call the school clinic each day that their child is absent. An answering machine in the clinic (962-6810) allows parents to report student absences during non-school hours. Calls during clinic hours should be made as early as possible. The school will attempt to call parents as soon as possible in cases of unreported absences. 

At the time that parents call to report their child's absence, they can also request that the student's homework be gathered by the classroom teacher. The clinic staff will notify the classroom teacher of the child's absence as well as the reason for the absence, the expected date of return, and the request for homework. The requested homework will be available in the school office, unless otherwise specified, for pickup by a parent or sibling between 3:15 and 4:00 p.m.  Please note that access to the office and classroom areas is not available after 4:00 p.m

It takes time and effort on the teacher's part to get the homework ready to go home.  As a courtesy to the teachers, please do not request homework if you are unsure if you will be able to pick it up at the end of the day.