Vancouver School Board Safe Arrival Procedures for 2021/22 School Year

Dear Parent/Guardian:

The Vancouver School Board has implemented the Safe Arrival Program at all schools. Please see below the instructions to report an absence for your child.

Reporting Student Absences:
Student safety is of paramount importance at the Vancouver School District. Ensuring student safety is a shared responsibility. In order to assist schools, we ask parents to notify schools of student absences. If your child will be absent from school, please phone the school to report this absence as early as possible. Parents should leave a message on a dedicated answering service by calling 604-713-5159 ext. 70. Messages will be received before the office is open. School offices are busy places: consistently notifying the school in advance of your child’s absence will significantly improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the Safe Arrival Morning Routine.

To Report Your Childs Absence – Please call 604-713-5159 ext. 70 prior to 9 am on the first day of the absence.

When reporting a student absence, please provide the following information:
- The first and last name of your child – please spell the last name
- Grade and division number
- The reason for the absence
- The date of the absence and the length of the absence if your child will be away for more than one day.

Student Sign-Out Procedure
When you pick up your child during the school day, please ensure that you sign them out at the school office. If you do not sign out your child, they will be unaccounted for, and the school will identify your child as a ‘missing’ student and will commence a search of school grounds. If the school staff do not locate the child, and are unable to reach a parent promptly, the school will call the Vancouver Police Department. Therefore, clear communication is essential for ensuring the safety of your child and to prevent unnecessary searches.

Late Arrivals

If your child is arriving at school after 9am, please have them sign in at the school office. 

Thank you for helping us keep your children safe!