Attendance Information

Absence Policy:

Every day a child is absent from school a parent/guardian must verify the absence within 48 hours by calling the Attendance office voicemail at (510) 537-6365 x1.

A written verification signed by a parent/guardian may also be used to report absences to the attendance office.

Education Code section 48260 – Any pupil subject to full time education or compulsory education who is absent from school and/or Tardy in an excess of 30 minutes or more without valid excuse for 3 or more days in one school year is truant and shall be reported to the attendance supervisor or the superintendent of the school district.

 

Excused absence:

1. Illness/medical verified within 48 hours by parent/guardian (e.g., personal illness, injury, medical/dental/optometry appointment) Absences due to illness that are more than 3 days should be verified by a doctor note)
2. Bereavement verified within 48 hours by parent/guardian (e.g., funeral service – immediate family member)
3. Prior approval from principal/designee (e.g., religious holiday, family emergency, extended bereavement, court appearance)

 

Unexcused Absence:

1. Parent/guardian notifies school of absence not allowable by law (e.g., vacation, work, oversleeping, visiting relatives, traffic/car problems, take your child to work day, failure to leave reason for absence)
2. School directed exclusion (e.g., suspension, lack of immunization)
3. Absence verified by parent/guardian after 48 time limit.

 

Truancy Consequences (unexcused absences)

• 3 absences – 1st Truancy Letter – serves as a reminder to the parent/guardian to address the student’s attendance issues and to avoid possible future truancy.
• Truancy issues may lead to ineligibility for extracurricular activities i.e. dance, sporting events, field trips, and proms.
• 6 absences – 2nd Truancy Letter – Student Attendance Review Team (SART) Meeting with the Principal, Parent, and Student. (Attendance Contract)
• 9 absences – 3rd Truancy Letter – Student Attendance Review Board (SARB) Meeting at the District Office. This is a truancy mediation program operated by the county’s district attorney or probation office, and/or a juvenile court. Also in attendance are the Student Resource Officer (SRO), District Personnel, School Administrator, Parent, and Student.
• Excessive excused absences – after 11 excused absences for illness, a doctor’s note is required for every subsequent absence. When there is no doctor’s note, the absence becomes unexcused and truancy letters will be generated.

 

Tardiness:

Students are expected to be in their seats by the second bell at 8:10 (Kindergarten times may vary).

You will be notified if you child accumulates unexcused absences and/or tardies. Should your child accumulate unexcused absences and/or tardies in the excess of the state guidelines, you will receive a letter identifying your child as truant. A copy of this letter will go into your child’s school records and a copy will be sent to Pupil Services at the District Office. If you have any questions regarding this policy, please call the attendance office.

 

Medical/Dental Appointments:

If arriving after school has started, students are to go to the office with a note from the Doctor/Dentist to excuse the tardy.

 

Illness/Injury

Please keep your child home if he/she has any of the following:

1. A bacterial infection. Please ask your physician for an “ok” to return to school slip. Please notify the attendance office of the illness as soon as the doctor confirms the diagnosis.
2. A rash of unknown origin or a contagious rash. This also requires an ok to return to school slip from the physician.
3. Any open wound or boil. The student will be excluded until the wound is dry and/or covered with a dressing and/or has physician’s clearance.
4. A fever of 100 or greater. The student will be sent home and should not return until he/she has been fever free for at least 24 hours without fever reducing medication. If your child has a fever for 3 days, call your health care provider.
5. A runny nose when mucous is thick green/yellow.
6. Congestion/cough that interferes with breathing and causes wheezing.
7. Diarrhea
8. Vomiting
9. Severe headache

 

Independent Study Contracts:

In order to maximize student achievement and social/emotional growth and accordance with California Education Code, it is expected that students will attend school every day. However, family situations do arise which necessitate emergency travel. When these rare situations arise, families may arrange a short Term Independent Study Contract with the school. These contracts are appropriate for unavoidable emergency absence of no fewer than 5 consecutive school days. Independent study for family vacations or leisure travel that can occur during school breaks is strongly discouraged, since independent study cannot replicate the classroom instructional experience.

 

A Short Term Independent Study Contract must be submitted to the main office or attendance office, signed by parent/guardian 10 school days prior to the absence. The contract must include the dates of absences, return to school date, and reason for the request. The absence duration should be as brief as possible, as absences of more than a few days will negatively impact student learning. All requests must be approved by site administration. Parents should pick up assigned work on the last day of attendance prior to the trip. Once the student returns to school, all completed work must be turned into the Office before the student returns to class. If the student does not complete all assigned work, future requests may be denied. Independent Study contracts at the end of the school year must be completed no later than fifteen school days prior to the last day of school. Independent Study contracts cannot be established during the first 10 days of the school year.

 

Note: If a student on an IEP is requesting a Short Term Independent Study Contract, the Program Specialist must be notified immediately so that appropriate IEP documentation can be determined.