School Policy

To review the entire policy of DCPS requirements on attendance, view DCPS Attendance and Truancy Policy.

All children who reach five (5) years of age on or before September 30th of the current school year are considered school-aged and must attend school on time every day until they meet hight school graduation requirements or reach their 18th birthday.

Excused absences are when school-aged students are absent from school with a valid excuse and parental approval. Examples of excused absences include:

• Student illness (a doctor’s note is required for a student absent five or more days in a term);
• Illness of a child for parenting students (a doctor’s note is required for a student absent five or more days in a term);
• Medical or dental appointments for the student;
• Death in the student’s immediate family;
• Exclusion by direction of the authorities of the District of Columbia, due to quarantine contagious disease, infection, infestation, or other condition requiring separation from other students for medical or health reasons;
• Necessity for a student to attend a judicial proceeding, or court activity, as a party to the action or under subpoena;
• Observance of a religious holiday;
• Absences to allow students to visit their parent or legal guardian, who is in the military; immediately before, during or after deployment;
• Emergency or other circumstances approved by DCPS.

The following absences may also be excused without written documentation from the parent, as verified by the school:

• Lawful out of school suspension or exclusion by school authorities;
• Temporary closing of facilities or suspension of classes due to severe weather, official activities, holidays, malfunctioning equipment, unsafe or unsanitary conditions, or other condition(s) or emergency requiring a school closing or suspension of classes;
• Failure of the District of Columbia to provide transportation in cases where the District of Columbia has legal responsibility for the transportation of the student; and
• An emergency or other circumstance approved by DCPS.

If a student is absent for a total of up to four (4) cumulative days in each grading period, a parent's written excuse is sufficient for explaining the absence. 

If a student is absent for five (5) or more cumulative days per term, further documentation is required beyond communication by the parent for the absence to be excused. Written explanation of the student's absence must be submitted by a doctor or staff of a relevant agency, on official doctor's office/agency letterhead and signed by a relevant official.

Cell phone use is strictly prohibited during instructional hours. Upon arrival, cell phones are collected from students at the main entrance.

Students who are tardy will be required to drop off their cell phones at the main office.

Phones are stored in the main office during the school day, where there are clearly labeled and kept in a pouch for each student.

At dismissal, students may retrieve phones in the D Wing Hall.

Cell phones found during instructional periods will be confiscated. Students will be asked to have a parent pick up their phones.

Students at Johnson Middle School must adhere to the following uniform policy:

6th Grade: Gray or white solid color polo-style shirt

7th Grade: Yellow solid color polo-style shirt

8th Grade: Black solid color polo-style shirt

All Grades: Khaki bottoms (pants or skirt)