ABSENCES:

Section 48205 of the Californian Education Code lists seven valid reasons for students to miss school.  Make up work is allowed only if the absence is caused by one of the following reasons:

1. Illness
2. Quarantine by health officer
3. Medical, dental or optometric appointments
4. Religious Holiday

• School field trip or activity
• Personal (up to three days per school year with prior administrator approval)

State Education code defines a habitual truant as any student who misses more than three days (unexcused/unverified).  Students who are habitual truants WILL BE referred to the School Attendance Review Board for consideration by the District Attorney.

Illnesses up to three days may be verified by the parent.  Illnesses of longer duration or that are chronic and cause the student to miss school frequently will require a doctor’s note.  Eighteen year-old students are required to present a note from the parent/guardian for all absences. 

Following an absence, a student must bring a note to the attendance office from the parent/guardian or doctor within 24 hours.  If the absence was for a medical visit, a “U” (unexcused) will be placed on the student’s attendance record until a doctor’s/dentist’s note is presented. An unexcused absence is the same as a truancy.

Students who do not have their absence cleared the day of the absence must go to the attendance office to clear their absence.

LEAVING SCHOOL EARLY:

1. Preferred Method – If a parent needs to pick up a student at an exact time, student should be sent with a note to attendance office before school starts.  Make sure the signature matches that of the person on their emergency card.  Student will be given a pass to report to the attendance office accordingly.

OR

Parent calls attendance office notifying school of early out request.

2. Student shows early out slip to appropriate teacher.
3. Student signs out in the attendance office before leaving campus.

All persons must be on student’s current Emergency Card and MUST show current photo ID to retrieve students. 

Students who do not clear their absence upon returning to school will be called to the office by attendance and issued a note reminding parent(s) to verify/clear the absence.

For any absence following the first, students will be expected to verify/clear the absence without a reminder in order to protect instructional time and reduce the amount of time out of class. If your student does not clear an absence within the three days, they may be referred to their administrator for disciplinary consequences.

TARDINESS:

Tardiness is not acceptable because it creates a significant disruption to the educational process.  Tardiness may result lower student grades in the classes missed, and students may be issued detention or other consequences, as assigned by teacher for every tardy occurrence.

FIRST PERIOD TARDIES:  NO EXCUSES WILL BE ACCEPTED FOR FIRST PERIOD TARDIES, except for doctor/dental note. The following does NOT excuse tardiness to school: car trouble, day care, transportation of other students, and parent work schedules. Please help your student plan ahead so that they get to school on time. 

If a doctor/dental note is not presented during first period, students will be subject to penalties assigned by teacher and/or administration.

Students who arrive late to school must sign in at the attendance office before going to class and use their detention slip as their pass to class.

First period absences require a prior phone call or note from a parent/guardian at the time the student arrives at school.

TRUANCIES:

After the third unexcused absence, a student may be marked truant.  Excessive truancies may cause your student to be referred to the Orange County Probation Department.

DROPPING OFF STUDENTS IN THE MORNING:

If you are dropping off your student, please make sure they are on the campus prior to 8:30 a.m. (7:30 for 0 period students) so they may enter their classrooms on time.  Students who have attendance problems will face disciplinary action.

Teacher is expected to:

• Keep accurate attendance each period (posting within first 10 minutes of class).

• Communicate with parents via Tele-parent, live telephone calls, email, and/or planner.

• Clearly communicate with students and parents regarding the makeup work policy.

• For every tardy, teacher will issue a detention to student.  If student fails to serve detentions, teacher will submits referral to administration.

• For a single class cut, the teacher makes parent contact and assigns two detentions to be served by student.  If student fails to serve detentions, teacher will submit a referral to administration.

• The teachers’ individual policies regarding make-up work after excused absences.  Absenteeism may result in lower grades.