Attendance

A child may be absent from school for various reasons (illness, doctor visit, dentist visit, or religious holiday). Effective July 1, 1998, the state mandated a new attendance accounting system. Schools no longer collect funding for ANY absence. There are no longer excused absences – only absences! If a child is ill, they, of course, should stay home. However, if your child stays home for any reason, s/he loses valuable learning time. Please contact the Attendance Secretary for an Independent Study Contract if your child must miss school for 5 days or more for any reason.

Your child’s school work can and should be made up. However, it can only be made up if the teacher and the office know ahead of time and arrangements can be made for an “Independent Study Contract.” The contract describes work to be completed and it is the responsibility of the parent to see that the work is done. A study contract does require time to prepare and some advance notice is required.

Tardiness to school also affects your child’s education.  When a child is late, s/he misses opening instruction and interrupts the entire class upon arrival. Students are tardy if they are not in line when the bell rings.  The only excused tardy is for a doctor or dentist visit, or a court appointment. Students arriving late will need to check into the office to sign in and present a note from the doctor or dentist upon arrival.

Students are required by law to be at school. If children are habitually absent or tardy they miss instruction which is critical to their school success; and parents will be held responsible. Actions ranging from a parent reminder letter, notification to the local truant officer, and/or Student Attendance Review Board (SARB) through the San Diego County Juvenile Court System are mandated by law.

Absence from School

1.      When your child is absent, please call the school office. If you forget to call, please send a note stating the reason for the absence when your child returns.

2.      If we have not received a call, you will receive an automated reminder call asking you to call the office with the reason for absence.

3.      Be sure to report communicable diseases to our office. If you are not sure about keeping your child at home, please call the office to ask.

4.      A note from home is necessary when a student is to be dismissed from school early. An adult listed on the emergency card or mentioned by name on the note must come to the office to sign the early release log before the child may leave school.