Attendance Policies and Procedures

The purpose of this section on our school website is to outline the state mandates and our district policies as related to school attendance.

Palos Verdes Peninsula USD
BP 5113 Students /Absences And Excuses

The Board of Education believes that regular attendance plays an important role in student achievement. The Board shall work with parents/guardians and students to ensure their compliance with all state attendance laws, and may use appropriate legal means to correct problems of chronic absence or truancy.

Excused Absences

Absence from school shall be excused only for health reasons, family emergencies, and justifiable personal reasons, as permitted by law, Board policy, and administrative regulations. (Education Code 48205)

Inasmuch as class participation is an integral part of students’ learning experiences, parents/guardians and students shall be encouraged to schedule medical appointments during nonschool hours.

At the beginning of each school year, the Superintendent or designee shall send a notification to the parents/guardians of all students, and to all students in grades 7-12, informing them that school authorities may excuse any student from school to obtain confidential medical services without the consent of the student’s parent/guardian. (Education Code 46010.1)

Parental Notifications (cf. 5145.6)

Students shall not be absent from school without their parents/guardians’ knowledge or consent except in cases of medical emergency or confidential medical appointment.

Student absence for religious instruction or participation in religious exercises away from school property may be considered excused subject to law and administrative regulations. (Education Code 46014)

Effect of Absence on Grades/Credits

If a student’s absence is excused under Education Code 48205, he/she shall be allowed to complete any missed assignment or test that can be reasonably given, as determined by the teacher of that class. The student shall be given full credit for the assignment or test if he/she satisfactorily completes the assignment or test within a reasonable period of time. (Education Code 48205)

A student’s grades may be affected by excessive unexcused absences in accordance with Board policy.

(cf. 5121 – Grades/Evaluation of Student Achievement)

(cf. 6154 – Homework/Makeup Work)

Absences

STUDENTS THAT ARE ABSENT:  Parents should report all student absences by dialing the Attendance Office at (310) 378- 8471 and press 1. If the Attendance Office is not contacted by phone, the student must provide the Attendance Office with a written note providing the reason for the absence. A parent or guardian must sign the note.  The note must be provided on the day the student returns to school.  Students who have been absent part of the day must report to the Attendance Office immediately upon returning to school.

IMPORTANT:

1. All absences must be cleared in 72 hours in written form for safety and audit purposes please.
2. Students will receive a truant if they leave campus without a Off-Campus Pass.
3. Truancy is a unauthorized absences from school for any part of the school day missed.
4. Parents planning to be out of town must notify the Attendance Office and the Health Office and provide temporary guardian information in written form.

THIS MUST BE DONE PRIOR TO THE PARENTS’ DEPARTURE

Students who have had a communicable disease (i.e. pink eye, mononucleosis, chicken pox, etc.) must check with the school nurse before being readmitted to class.

We thank you for your support of these attendance procedures & policies.

Leaving Campus for Medical or Non-Medical Appointments

If you follow this procedure you will not have to come into the attendance office, just pick your child up at the pre-designated area you have arranged with your child.

STUDENTS THAT NEED TO LEAVE FOR A MEDICAL OR NON MEDICAL APPOINTMENT:
PLEASE DO NOT CALL THE ATTENDANCE LINE

1. Your child is to bring a NOTE from a parent providing student’s  full name and grade level to the Attendance Office
2. Indicate that the appointment is for medical or non-­ medical and the time that you would like your child released from class.
3. Your child will bring that note to the Attendance Office, first thing in the morning. A pass will be given to your child to show the teacher and security that they have permission to leave the campus.
4. If your child is returning to school please get a re-admit form from the doctor’s office or the non-medical office and have your student bring that form into the Attendance Office with the permit to leave campus. If you forgot the re-admit parents may write a note – include the date and time of drop-off.

PLEASE DO NOT CALL AT THE LAST MINUTE BEFORE YOU NEED YOUR STUDENT
IT IS A CHALLENGE TO GET THEM OUT OF CLASS ON SUCH A SHORT NOTICE

Independent Study Contracts (IS) – 5 consecutive days up to 10 Weeks

Instructions:

1. Submit to Attendance Office a written note from a parent indicating the reason for requesting IS. All requests are pre-approved by an Associate Principal.

2. Student takes the IS contract to each of his/her teachers to fill-in the section “assignments/projects to be completed” while absent from school. Student should beware of deadlines for tests, quiz or class presentations.

3. When the student returns to regular classes he/she begins finalizing the contract with teachers.  Teacher must sign off under “Teacher verification of completion”. Student and Parent also sign the contract.

4. Student has 3 weeks (15 calendar school days) after the last day of his/her absence to complete all assignments and return the IS contract to the Attendance Office.
   The State of California requires upon return that completed copies of graded original class/homework be attached to IS contract for Associate Principal signature.  (Copies will not be made by Attendance Office.)

5. Students who do not meet the necessary requirements/ deadlines will receive no credit grade on classroom/homework assignments and a “U” (unexcused absence) on their attendance record for the duration of his/her absence while on IS.

Off-Campus Policy

Period 0, 1, 2, 4 or 5 – Students MAY NOT leave campus.

Lunch, Period 3 & 6 – Students have different privileges depending on their grade level.  The purpose of the on campus lunch experience is for our students to actively engage and participate in the noon time social activities that add to the student’s high school life.   Please read below for your grade.

Seniors – Senior Off-Campus Lunch Permit PDF

Lunch, Period 3 & 6
– Seniors may leave if:

1. They have their student ID with them and
2. The ID contains the appropriate off-campus pass and
3. They show their ID to security at the gate and
4. They do not have class period 3 or 6 (They may still leave at lunch and return )

Juniors

Lunch
– Juniors MAY NOT leave at lunch unless:

1. They have work experience or SCROC (students must carry their ID and/or SCROC ID)

Period 3 or 6
– Juniors may leave period 3 or 6 if:

1. They do not have a period 3 or 6 class and
2. They have their student ID with them and
3. They have a copy of their schedule showing that they do not have a period 3 or 6.
4. They show their ID to security at the gate

Sophomores & Freshman

Lunch, Period 3 & 6

Sophomores and Freshman MAY NOT leave at Lunch, Period 3, or Period 6 unless:

1. They have work experience or SCROC (students must carry their ID and/or SCROC ID)
2. They do not have class period 3 or 6 and have an off-campus pass signed by the Assistant Principal and have their student ID with them.

Student Athletes

Lunch, Period 3 & 6

Student athletes MAY NOT leave at Lunch, Period 3 or 6 unless:

1. They do not have class period 3 and/or 6 and their sport practices or meets at a location away from the school site.
2. They have a signed off-campus pass and their student ID.

Tardy Policy:

 Truancy Policy:

The attendance office will monitor all student truancies.  Teachers are not responsible for submitting referrals for each cut. 

Definition of a Truant per Board policy is a student with three or more truancies:

Truancy Mediation Program

A student who is deemed habitually truant may be required to follow a SART Contract that maintains that the student will be ineligible for athletic or extra-curricular activities for a set duration of time or be required to conduct community served during the times of athletic or extra-curricular activity to recover the lost time due to truancy/tardiness.

Chronic Absenteeism and Unexcused Absences:

What is an excused absence?

Title V Section 420 provides that, when verified within three (3) school days, the following absences may be entered as excused absences:

• Illness or injury
• Quarantine by a heath officer
• Medical, dental, chiropractic or optometric service appointments
• Attending funeral services for a member of the immediate family
• Section 49205 also excuses the absence of a pupil who is the custodial parent of a child who is ill or has a medical appointment during school hours
• Other absences deemed justifiable by the school administration

Parents and guardians have up to three (3) days to provide the school with documentation for a student’s absence.  After three days, all unverified absences will be changed to unexcused.

Note: students who forge parent signatures will be subject to disciplinary actions.