Attendance & Tardy Policies

School achievement begins with regular attendance. Parents/guardians have the responsibility to ensure that all school-age children in their care are in school and on time every day. Students have the responsibility to be on time and attend all classes. Students are expected to attend school for 180 days. School begins at 8:00am and ends at 3:00pm. The half-day primary program for three-year-olds is from 8:00am–12:00pm. Aftercare fees for students not picked up in carpool will begin at 3:00pm. Families who aren’t signed up for drop-in aftercare will be charged $2.00 per minute up to $35 which is the cost of a full day of aftercare.

South Carolina Compulsory Attendance Law

South Carolina Compulsory Attendance Law South Carolina Code of Laws Section 59-65-10 (as amended) reads: All parents or guardians shall cause their children or wards to attend regularly a public or private school ~ of this State ~ from the school year in which the child or ward is five years of age before September 1st until the child or ward attains his seventeenth birthday or graduates from high school. All children are required to attend a public or private kindergarten beginning at age five. If parents choose not to send their children to kindergarten, they must sign a waiver, which may be obtained at the local school. 

South Carolina Code of Laws of Section 59-65-20 reads:  Any parent or guardian who neglects to enroll his child or ward or refuses to make such child or ward attend school shall, upon conviction, be fined not more than fifty dollars or be imprisoned not more than thirty days; each day’s absence shall constitute a separate offense; provided, the court may in its discretion suspend the sentence of anyone convicted of the provisions of this article. 

South Carolina Code of Laws of Section 59-65-70 reads:  If the court determines that the reported absence occurred without the knowledge, consent, or connivance of the responsible parent or guardian or that a bona fide attempt has been made to control and keep the child in school, the court may declare such a child to be delinquent and subject the provisions of the law in such cases. 

South Carolina Code of Laws of Section 16-17-510 reads: It is unlawful for a person to encourage, entice, or conspire to encourage or entice a child enrolled in any public or private elementary or secondary school of this State from attendance in the school or school program or transport or provide transportation in aid to encourage or entice a child from attendance in any public or private elementary or secondary school or school program. A person who violates the provisions of this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, must be fined not more than one thousand dollars or imprisoned not more than two years, or both.

South Carolina Code of Laws of Section 59-40-50 reads: Charter Schools are required to meet, but may exceed, the same minimum student attendance requirements as are applied to public schools. 


Daily Schedule

  • 7:30 AM – Doors open / Before-school recess begins

  • 8:00 AM – School begins

    • Note: Due to DSS regulations, 3K students should not arrive before 7:50 AM

  • 8:01 AM – Students are considered tardy

    • Parents must park and check students in through the front office For full details, please refer to the Attendance and Tardy section in the Family Handbook.

  • 9:00 AM or later – No drop off of forgotten items

    • To encourage responsibility and independence: The front office cannot accept forgotten items (lunch boxes, water bottles, assignments, etc.) after 9:00 AM

    • Students will be provided with water and school lunch if needed

    • Please do not ask the Front Office staff to make exceptions. 

  • 2:40–3:00 PM – Carpool

  • 3:00–3:15 PM –Once carpool is complete, students will be released from classrooms to Aftercare or Afterschool Enrichments