Write the students' names on the left-hand column starting on the second row. List them alphabetically by first or last name as desired. You may want to separate the boys and the girls, leaving a few empty spaces in between and on the bottom for students who join the class mid-semester.
Write the month and year on top in large letters above the first row and then number the first row, using only the Monday through Friday dates. If the attendance chart does not have M,T, W, T, F on the top row, add it, if desired, just above each corresponding date.
Draw lines with a pencil down the center of the columns of the days in which school is closed. Use a ruler for a neater appearance. With a dark pen, trace over the vertical lines between Fridays and Mondays to help separate the weeks. This will make using the chart easier. Trace every fifth horizontal line to help you keep track of where you are when you run your finger across the page to mark a student's absence.
Create a key to indicate the reason for the absence and if the child had a note. For example, an NS would indicate she had a note and was sick, and an NU would mean she had a note, but it was not an excusable absence per school guidelines, such as a vacation day. An X would indicate she was absent but did not produce a note. A / with NDr above the diagonal would indicate she was out in the morning for a doctor's appointment.
Mark the child absent with an X. Use a pencil so you can later replace it with the appropriate coding if the child produces a note when he returns to school or comes in late. Use one sheet per month, and keep the previous attendance sheets in a safe place.