CIBOLO, Texas -- An elementary school student's brief disappearance is prompting an area school district to review its policy on alerting parents of absences.

A.J. Adams, a 10-year-old student at Green Valley Elementary in the Schertz-Cibolo-Universal City Independent School District, decided Wednesday that he didn't want to go to school one morning and failed to catch the bus, said Paul Adams, the child's father.

When his son wasn't waiting to be picked up later that afternoon, his father knew something was wrong.

"Yesterday afternoon, I get a phone call from Todd Myers at Leadership Academy (asking), 'Did you keep your son home from school?'" Adams said.

Based on the information provided, police did not issue an Amber Alert, Adams said. An Amber Alert is a system created to promptly inform the community and law enforcement officials of missing children.

Community members searching for the child were unable to find him, and A.J. spent the night in a ditch not far from his home. He was found at a fast-food restaurant Thursday morning.

Adams said he would like to see the district's policy of not immediately contacting parents of absent children changed.

In a statement to KSAT 12 News, the SCUCISD said it plans to review its practice of notification of parents when children are absent.