PVPUSD Attendance Policies and Procedures
2020-2021
In accordance with the new California legislation SB 98, the PVPUSD will be tracking attendance this year based on participation and engagement as outlined below.
Teachers will be tracking daily participation for students in Aeries. Any student who is deemed not participating in class (not attending the class offering) will be marked absent and the parent will receive the nightly attendance alert. Teachers will also be tracking student engagement throughout the week and will contact the parent regarding any concerns. Engagement is different than attending class. Examples of student engagement include raising your hand in class, asking questions, active participation in the class discussion, on topic contributions in the class chat, completion of daily assignments and/or passing a test or quiz. Students who experience ongoing disengagement will be referred to the administrative team for further support and interventions. If there is a reason that a student cannot actively be a part of a class, communication with the teacher is essential. We encourage parents to support their students in both participating and engaging in their classes daily. Please remember to contact the attendance office to clear your student if absent from school within one week of the absence.
If you have further questions regarding attendance policies and procedures for this school year, please contact Lisa Kastelan, Attendance Clerk, at kastelan@pvpusd.net
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)
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:
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.
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
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
Instructions:
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:
Juniors
Lunch
– Juniors MAY NOT leave at lunch unless:
Period 3 or 6
– Juniors may leave period 3 or 6 if:
Sophomores & Freshman
Lunch, Period 3 & 6
Sophomores and Freshman MAY NOT leave at Lunch, Period 3, or Period 6 unless:
Student Athletes
Lunch, Period 3 & 6
Student athletes MAY NOT leave at Lunch, Period 3 or 6 unless:
Tardy Consequences:
Number of Tardies (Cumulative total for all classes) |
Action Taken |
5 |
Student issued lunch time paper pick-up. |
10 |
Student issued double lunch time paper pick-up. Notifies parent/guardian. |
15 |
Attendance administration conferences with student and notifies parent/guardian. Student will be issued Saturday School. Students may lose privileges. |
20 |
Attendance administration conferences with student and notifies parent/guardian. Saturday School issued to student. Tardy contract signed and implemented. Students may lose privileges. |
30 |
Attendance administration conferences with student and notifies parent/guardian. Student will be issued Saturday School and possible SARB referral. Students may lose privileges. |
Truancy Consequences:
Number of Truancies (Cumulative total for all classes) |
Action taken |
5 |
Saturday school, parent notified |
10 |
Saturday school, parent notified |
15 |
SART Meeting and SART Contract |
20 |
SART Contract Reviewed and SARB Referral Process followed. Possible SARB Hearing |
25 |
SARB Process Followed and possible Alternative Education Referral |
Chronic Absenteeism and Unexcused Absences:
Number of Unexcused absences (individual periods and whole day) |
Action taken |
5 |
Warning sent home to parents and student |
10 |
SART Meeting and Contract |
15 |
SST Meeting and SART Meeting Contract reviewed |
20 |
SARB Referral Process followed. SARB Referral is made. Possible SARB Hearing |
Truancy Policy:
Attendance Marking Procedures:
If a student walks into your class late, please mark the student appropriately. DO not send him/her out of the class to get a late pass from the Attendance Office. The attendance mark on Aeries will be sufficient enough for the Attendance Office to run reports regularly to follow-up with chronic truants.
Definition of a Truant per Board policy is a student with three or more truancies:
Number of Truancies (Per semester) |
Action taken |
5 |
Saturday school |
10 |
Saturday school |
15 |
SART Meeting and SART Contract |
20 |
SART Contract Reviewed and SARB Referral Process followed. Possible SARB Hearing |
25 |
SARB Process Followed and possible Alternative Education Referral |
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:
Number of Unexcused absences (individual periods and whole day) |
Action taken |
5 |
Warning sent home to parents and student |
10 |
SART Meeting and Contract |
15 |
SST Meeting and SART Meeting; Contract reviewed |
20 |
SARB Referral Process followed. SARB Referral is made. Possible SARB Hearing |
What is an excused absence?
Title V Section 420 provides that, when verified within five (5) school days, the following absences may be entered as excused absences:
Parents and guardians have up to five (5) days to provide the school with documentation for a student’s absence. After five days, all unverified absences will be changed to unexcused.
Note: students who forge parent signatures will be subject to disciplinary actions.
Citizenship grades may be affected due excessive tardiness or truancies per teacher syllabus