Attendance
"Attend today, Achieve tomorrow"
With that in mind, there are times when it becomes necessary for a student to miss school. When students miss school it can fall under two different categories, ACCEPTABLE or "excused" absences or UNACCEPTABLE or "unexcused" absences.
Students who are "excused" must be given an opportunity to complete work which is reasonably close to, but not necessarily identical to, missed work. The types of absences identified as "excused" include:
Students who are "excused" must be given an opportunity to complete work which is reasonably close to, but not necessarily identical to, missed work. The types of absences identified as "excused" include:
- Personal illness (school may require a doctor's note and will require doctor's verification if school deems absences are excessive).
- Quarantine under the direction of health officer
- Personal medical appointment (may require doctor's note)
- Funeral services of parent, sibling, grandparent, brother-in-law, sister-in-law, or any relative living in the child's immediate household (limit is one day in the state, and three days out of state)
- Exclusion for medical reasons (not to exceed 5 school days)
- Personal court appearance (requires verification)
- Prior principal approval for employment conference
- Observance of a religious holiday or ceremony (recommend three days advance notice to school)
- Religious retreat (limited to four hours per semester)
- He/She is the custodial parent of a child who is in or has a medical appointment during school hours (school may require a doctor's note and will require doctor's verification if school deems absences are excessive)
If the absence is "unexcused," the student is considered truant and make up work is at the discretion of the teacher. The following are examples of an "unexcused" absence:
- Going to work with parent/guardian or other family member
- Going to the beach, lake, river, mountains or desert
- Going to a concert
- Getting ready for a date
- Babysitting, taking care of other family members
- Under the influence of alcohol or other drugs
- Joyriding or partying
- Personal problems
- Repairing car or household items
- Waiting for service or repair people to come
- Shopping
- Camping
- Attending a sporting event
- Homelessness
- Other reasons not included in the Education Code sections 46010 and 48206
Tardies
Being tardy to class disrupts the instructional program. Students are expected to be in their classroom and seated before the tardy bell rings, with books and materials necessary for the class. Student need to understand the importance of not interrupting the other students in class, therefore maximizing instructional time. Student need to understand the standards of behavior expected in each class so that they accept the responsibility for their own actions. No restroom passes will be issued during the first fifteen minutes or last fifteen minutes of class. Teachers are prepared to progressively work with students, parents, and if necessary, the administrative team for student violating the tardy policy.
Parents wishing to excuse their student's tardy for a medical or dental reason must provide written proof to the Attendance Office from the Doctor. The written proof must include the date and time of the appointment along with the Doctor's phone number in order for the "tardy" to be excused.
Parents wishing to excuse their student's tardy for a medical or dental reason must provide written proof to the Attendance Office from the Doctor. The written proof must include the date and time of the appointment along with the Doctor's phone number in order for the "tardy" to be excused.
TARDY POLICY MATRIX
Tardies
1-3 Teacher:
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- Teacher/student conference
School:
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- Auto-dialer home
4-5 Teacher:
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- Teacher/student conference
- Teacher submits incident in synergy assigning a detention
- Teacher will contact home through Talking Points and/or phone call to advise the student has been assigned a detention and the date they must serve by (within 5 days).
6+ Teacher:
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- Teacher submits an incident through synergy referring the students to their VP
Admin will do the following:
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- Phone call home
Admin may do the following:
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- Assign another detention
- Assign the student to the Restorative Room
- Meet with family and counselor to review transcripts
Attendance Detention:
-Students who are repeatedly late according to the SHS tardy policy
-Students who leave class for extended periods of time or show up 30+mins late without a valid reason or verification
-Students who are issued passes by the teacher, or from another staff member, but do not arrive at the destination, go elsewhere or do not return in a timely manner without a valid reason or verification.
How to Clear Absences
1. ABSENCES MUST BE CLEARED WITHIN SEVEN SCHOOL DAYS beginning on the day the student returns to school. Students who do not clear their absence(s) with the seven days will be considered truant from school. Unexcused absences will not be cleared after seven days from the absence.
Parents may send a note with their student to clear an absence. The note must include the following information:
Parents may send a note with their student to clear an absence. The note must include the following information:
- Student's name
- ID number
- Date(s) of absence(s)
- Reason for absence
- Telephone number where parent/guardian may be reached for verification of absence
- Parent/guardian signature
- If absence is for doctor/dentist appointment, bring a note from doctor/dentist office with office phone number and appointment time
3. If a student accrues more than ten absences (excused or unexcused) a doctor's note is required for every day thereafter. Failure to provide a doctor's note will result in a parent/student agreement to be put in place.
