Automated Safe Arrival Program at Fern

Dear Parents/Guardians:

Student Safety is of utmost importance and parents need to be notified as soon as possible if their child has not arrived at school. The Safe Arrival Program complies with the Education Act and related Ministry of Education policies in respect of student attendance in order to maximize students’ academic success and well-being. 

 

Many of you are now aware Fern Avenue PS has moved to an automated safe arrival program.   Automation will allow our families to be contacted in a timely manner allowing us to confirm absences much sooner than using a manual system.  This system reports allows us to better track student absences/lates and also help to send messages to the parents/guardians regarding their child’s attendance in a timely manner.

 The system call-out will work as follows:

•  Parents/guardians identified in TDSB’s Student Information Systems who has access to student records, and emergency contact with priority 1 or 2 will receive a call.

• 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.  The following options will be provided for you:

1.      Illness

2.      Doctor Appointment

3.      Dentist Appointment

4.      Family Matter

5.      Weather

6.      Other

• At the end of 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 your mobile phone.

•  If there is no response from a Priority 1 contact, this same process will be followed for Priority 2 contacts.

• If there is no contact with either Priority 1 or Priority 2, this entire process will be repeated 3 times in 10 minute intervals.

This same process will be followed for the afternoon attendance.

In the evening, all parents/guardians of students who were late that day will receive a call informing them of their child’s lateness.

• Please note if you don't answer the phone, a message will be left on your voicemail and the calling process will continue until a live person confirms receipt of the call. 

• Some parents/guardians have asked if they can opt out of the Safe Arrival Program and the answer is NO, the TDSB recognizes that regular attendance is essential to the safety, academic success, and well being of our students.
   With this in mind, 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.

Please do not hesitate to contact the Fern Avenue Office Staff at 416-393-9130 should you have any further questions or concerns. 

Thank you,

Vera Ciric