Attendance

  • One of our priorities in the District, is daily school attendance of all the children in our community. Education Code 48200 does require compulsory daily school attendance for students 6 to 18 years of age.

    California Education Code does allow excusable absences for the following reasons:

    1. Illness
    2. Medical, dental or optometric services
    3. Funeral services for immediate family
    4. Quarantine

    The parent/guardian of the student must send a note and/or call the school to clear any absence. Failure to excuse the absence results in a recorded truancy on the student’s record. “Parents or legal guardians may excuse their student from school for illness a maximum of ten (10) times per school year. (AR 5113 c. b.) After a student has reached or exceeded ten (10) excused illnesses, a doctor’s note is required to excuse any further illnesses. In lieu of a doctor’s note, a parent or legal guardian may bring their student in to see the school nurse to verify an illness. Without a doctor's note, each day of "illness" beyond ten (10) will be considered an unexcused absence, which will trigger the district truancy process.”

    Another way to ensure your child’s daily attendance is by review the school’s calendar and planning family holidays and vacations to occur on school holidays. Even parent notification to the school of a student’s absence for family vacation results in loss of instructional time for the student in an unexcused absence. Some other examples of reasons that are inexcusable for student absences are:

    1.  Going shopping                                                                                             
    2. Oversleeping
    3.  Student’s Birthday
    4. Visiting relatives
    5.  Minor Illnesses 
    6. Family Moving
    7.  Child care by student at home

    All schools will send a formal letter to the parents/guardians of students who accumulate 3 days of unexcused absences. This letter will inform the family of a potential declaration of truancy on your child’s school record according to the Education Code 48260. Keep in mind that regardless of distance learning, blended learning or a traditional schedule, attendance is required and will be taken daily.

     

    Tardies:

    The tardy policy will be followed. Note that excessive tardies will cause ineligibility for the annual perfect attendance award. Please refer to page 10 Attendance/Tardies in our School Handbook.

     

    We appreciate your assistance since every day of good school attendance counts towards your child’s success.