Attendance

If a student is absent, you should:

1. Have a parent/guardian contact the school by 9:30 a.m., on the first day you are absent, or bring a note on the day you return. This note should state your full name, grade, date(s) and reason for absence, and a parent/guardian signature.
2. A note is ALWAYS required for absences of more than one day. Parents must state the date(s) of the absence(s), and the reason(s) for the absence(s). The reason must be provided before an excused admit will be issued and this needs to be done within three (3) days of returning to school. Any late communication will result in an unexcused absence.
3. Take the note to the Attendance Office BEFORE the tardy bell at 8:00am.

If you need to leave school during the day, you should:

1. Bring a written excuse from home to the Attendance Office before school.
2. Receive an early dismissal slip from the office. Sign out in the office with your parent when you leave.
3. Report to Attendance Office for a yellow re-admit slip when you return.

Excused Absences

Reasons for excusing a student absent will include:

1. Illness or injury of the student, or serious illness which necessitates the absence of the student.
2. Student attendance at a medical, dental, optometric or chiropractic appointment.
3. Student attendance at the funeral service of an immediate family member.
4. A quarantine imposed by a city or county health official.
5. Student service on a jury.
6. Up to five days to obtain required immunizations.
7. Exclusion from school due to head lice, lack of immunization, or physical examination.
8. Appearance in court.
9. Observance of a holiday or ceremony of his/her religion.
10. Employment interview or conference.
11. Illness or medical appointment of a child when the student is the custodial parent/guardian.
12. A confidential medical appointment for students in grades 7-12 (Education code 46010.1)
13. Other such reason as the principal may consider justifiable when requested in advance.

Please remember to report all absences to the Attendance Secretary within 72 hours/3 business days.

Tardies

If you arrive after 8:10, go directly to the office attendance window to receive a tardy slip. If the tardy is unexcused, you will be marked as truant. Excessive tardies will be addressed by office administration.

Please send a note with your child indicating reason for being late. We will then know that you are aware your child is late. Our tardy policy reflects our belief that being on time is an important life skill for your child’s development. If there is a particular reason or emergency causing your child to be late, please contact an administrator.

Students have no reason to be late to class during the school day. When a student is marked tardy to class, an automated phone call is made home to alert the parent of the tardy. Mulitple tardies to class may lead to administrative detention or Saturday school.

Hall Passes

Every student leaving a classroom must have a hall pass. They are to leave only for very important reasons. Students out of class without a pass will be immediately sent back to their classroom. Hall passes can be obtained from the office or teachers.

Truancy/Cutting School or Class

The following forms of absences are considered truancy:

• Absences from school without the knowledge and consent of the parent.
• Leaving the classroom or campus during the school day without permission.
• Staying out of class without permission.

Excessive tardies will count as truancy (over 30 minutes).

The California Education Code and the Welfare Institutional Code provide that legal action may be taken against students and/or parents/guardians when students are truant, as parents are required to ensure that students between the ages of six and eighteen attend school. By law a student is truant when absent without a valid excuse three or more days, or tardy thirty minutes or more three times during a school year. All truants are reported to the Child Welfare and Attendance (CWA) Supervisor and may be subject to referral to the School Attendance Review Board (SARB). If a student is reported as truant four times in a school year, the student may be deemed a habitual truant and may be adjudged a ward of juvenile court, ordered to pay a fine, perform community services, attend a court- ordered truancy prevention program and/or be subject to suspension/revocation of driving privileges.

CONSEQUENCES are Teacher and/or Administrative detentions & SART/SARB contracts.

Independent Study

An Independent Study Contract may be requested and must be approved by the Principal according to Educational Code guidelines. These may only cover a period of 5 to 20 days. Parent and student must carefully follow the procedures of the contract in order to receive credit for the absences. Please see Attendance Secretary in the Main Office for additional information.

Proof of Residency

Proof of residence is required at the time of enrollment and when a family changes address. Verification by items from both categories below are required:

• Current picture ID of parent/guardian: driver’s license, state issued ID, passport, consulate issued picture ID, voter credential, or military ID.
• Two of the following:
  • current valid vehicle registration
  • state or federal tax return filed within the last 12 months with W-2 form(s) attached
  • current voter registration receipt
  • other forms of identification or communication from a government agency
  • property tax bill with parent name and property address indicating home owner's exemption
  • lease/rental agreement (including property address, names of occupants, name and phone number of owner/manager)
  • payroll stubs/checks

 All documents submitted must be originals not copies.

Bills and deeds are NOT valid residency verification documents.

All required documents must be submitted and receive approval within ten (10) calendar days from the initial date of enrollment.

Caregiver Affidavits: Students shall qualify as district residents if they reside full-time in the home of a caregiving adult within the district boundaries. This caregiving adult must provide residency verification as outlined above. “Full Time” for the purposes of this regulation is defined as: Student’s primary residence is that of the caregiving adult, and the student resides in the home of the caregiving adult 24 hours a day, seven days a week and during periods of vacation and/or holidays.

Caregiver Affidavits are available at the school site.

Joint Physical Custody: Students whose parents have joint physical custody may continue their enrollment in the district so long as at least one of their parents can meet the residency verification requirements as outlined above.

Parents and Guardians are required to read and sign the following statement:

“I attest that the information provided is true and accurate. I understand that if the student is not living full-time within the school boundary or if the student’s arrangements do not agree with the information provided, the student will not be allowed to attend the school. I also understand that any changes in residency information must be reported to the school registrar immediately and verified within ten (10) days. I also understand that falsification of information will be grounds for invalidating the student’s enrollment in school.”