Attendance

Absences: A parent/guardian may clear a student absence by providing the following information:  student name, date, reason for absence, date of absence, signature on note or name of caller, and relationship.  Absences must be cleared within 5 days of the occurrence.  If a teacher has made a clerical error, the student needs to contact the Attendance Office within 5 days to get an Absence Clearance form.

Excused absences may include Illness, medical/dental appointments, court subpoenas, funeral services of an immediate family member, or religious holiday.

Unexcused absences may include family vacations or trips, visits to another high school, driving lessons/tests, employment, community service, etc.

Three or more days of unexcused absences or three unexcused tardies of more than 30 minutes in one school year, or any combination of the two, will result in the student being classified as a truant.  Any further tardiness or unexcused absences will cause the student to be classified as a habitual truant.  These classifications generate truancy letters and are entered in the student’s behavior record.

What is a tardy?
When a student arrives at school more than 10 minutes late and has already been marked absent by the teacher. 

Late students mist sign in and receive a pass at the Front office before going to class. 

Unexcused tardies may include: Oversleeping, car trouble, traffic, completing assignments, carpool problems, etc.

SEMESTER TARDY POLICY
Three tardies: Teacher will contact parent and student to let them know 3 tardies have occurred.
Three additional tardies: Assistant Principal will meet with student and assign a lunch detention. 
Future tardies will result in additional lunch detentions, can result in loss of off campus privileges and may result in a parent conference. 

Three or more days of unexcused absences or three unexcused tardies of more than 30 minutes in one school year, or any combination of the two, will result in the student being classified as a truant.  Any further tardiness or unexcused absences will cause the student to be classified as a habitual truant.  These classifications generate truancy letters and are entered in the student’s behavior record. 

Vacations taken when school is in session are unexcused.
Vacations should be planned to occur during regularly scheduled school breaks – Fall (Oct. 24 - Oct. 28), Thanksgiving (November 23 - 25), Winter (Dec 19 - Jan. 1), Spring (April 3 - 7), Summer (after June 15).

Being out of school for reasons other than illness, bereavement in immediate family, medical appointment, religious observance or subpoena to court are counted as unexcused under the law.

Three or more days of unexcused absences or three unexcused tardies of more than 30 minutes in one school year, or any combination of the two, will result in the student being classified as a truant.  Any further tardiness or unexcused absences will cause the student to be classified as a habitual truant.  These classifications generate truancy letters and are entered in the student’s behavior record.

Taking vacations during school days could result in your student being classified as a habitual truant, could result in your child being dropped from his class and school (if absent 10 days or more), and/or result in a referral to the School Attendance Review Board.  This may lead to a citation and/or court.  Good attendance is essential to school success.

When a student has an uncleared absence of one or more periods or is tardy to class, a call will be sent out with an automated phone message that evening.  The school district phone system is scheduled to call between 5:50 – 6:00 p.m. each day to inform parents of the absence or tardy and to remind them of the need to clear the absences.  If a call is believed to be in error, please have your student contact the attendance office for an Absence Clearance form.

A student is truant when absent from school or a class without prior permission.  Truant students will be disciplined and may receive detention.  Students may not leave school without being signed out in advance by the Attendance or Health Office.

No student may leave campus during their school day without checking out in the office.  Whenever possible, it is suggested that student appointments be scheduled for hours outside of the school day.  If it is necessary for a student to leave during the day, a parent/guardian should make arrangements with the school prior to the appointment time with either a signed note or a call to (805) 289-0023, stating the student’s name, time the student is to leave campus and the reason (if an appointment, please state what type, i.e. medical, dental, etc.), or a parent must come to the office personally to pick up the student.  When leaving campus, the student or parent/guardian must sign out through the office and sign in when returning.  Students leaving campus for any reason without prior permission are truant.  Parents/Guardians: Please do not pick up your student without first notifying the office.

Students cannot leave campus during their school day without checking out in the office first. 

Whenever possible, it is suggested that student appointments be scheduled for hours outside of the school day. 

If it is necessary for a student to eave during the day, a parent/guardian should make arrangements with the school prior to the appointment time using one of these three methods:

• A signed note stating the student name, time the student is to leave campus and the reason (if an appointment, please state what type, i.e. medical, dental, etc.)
• A call to the school site, stating the student's name, time the student is to leave campus and the reason  (if an appointment, please state what type, i.e. medical, dental, etc.)
• The parent/guardian may come to the office personally to pick up the student.