ATTENDANCE

The administration and staff of the Perris Union High School District, believe that if a student is absent from class, the educational experience lost during the absence is irretrievable as the interaction in the classroom setting can seldom be duplicate through make-up work. The maximum number of allowable absences for students is based on a certain number of days per semester. The maximum number of absences per semester shall be twelve (12) unexcused days. Students absent for more than the allowable number of absences in a semester will receive no grade and loss of credit for that class.

Waiver Option

A student, who accumulates absences because of a legitimate medical reason, a special religious holy day, or a personal family tragedy, may be eligible for a waiver. A waiver request must be submitted in writing to the site administrator and the applicant must have appropriate documentation in support of the waiver. A waiver request will be reviewed and approved by the administrator in charge of attendance. A waiver request must be submitted within 20 days of the absence. A medical doctor must verify legitimate medical reasons.

EXCEPTIONS

• School-related activities, with prior approval from administration, will be excluded from the number of allowable absences.
• A student suffering serious illness or injury may be eligible for home/hospital teaching or an independent study contract if deemed appropriate by the administrator in charge of attendance.
• Students absent from class due to school-related business are considered in attendance.
• Students participating in religious instruction or exercises are excused if they attend minimum day not to exceed more than four days a year.

A student who has twelve (12) days of unexcused absence in any class in a semester may receive no grade and lose credit for the class although he/she may remain in the class for enrichment purposes, may be dropped from the class and/or be referred by the school’s Student Study Team for alternative placement. Parents will be notified of absences on a timely basis.

ATTENDANCE RESPONSIBILITIES (Education Code Section 48200) — PARENTS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE PUNCTUAL AND REGULAR ATTENDANCE OF THEIR CHILDREN.

Illness, death, or funerals in the immediate family and medical/dental appointments are the only excusable reasons for absence. It is recommended that dental and medical appointments be made for non-school hours. Because of the need to interpret California School Attendance laws, the school determines whether the absence was excused or not. Excessive tardiness and/or unexcused absences may lead to loss of credits, removal from class, or referral to the Student Attendance Review Team (SART). If the problem persists, the student will be referred to the Student Attendance Review Board (SARB), and/or be placed in an alternative education program.

WHEN YOU ARE ABSENT —

Parents must call the school at (951) 672-6030 ext. 22125 or 22126 during normal business hours (8:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.) the first day the student is absent.

ATTENDANCE CODES —

• Excused — Absence for illness, funeral or death of any immediate family member, medical/dental appointments (verification required), and court (verification required).
• Unexcused — Absences that don’t qualify according to State Education Code Section 48200. Students may not make up missed schoolwork.
• Truant — Absences that are not cleared by parents. Student may not make up schoolwork.

THERE ARE NO SCHOOL-SANCTIONED “DITCH DAYS”.

CLASS WORK MAKE-UP POLICY —
Students are expected to complete all work assigned in each class. When a student has an excused absence, he/she will be given one day for each day of absence to make up class work. Homework may be requested for absences of three (3) or more days. Please contact the Counseling Office. Please allow at least 24 hours for teachers to respond with information regarding your request. Some teachers may require make-up work upon a student’s return to school. Teachers are not required to provide homework or make-up activities to those students who have been suspended as the absences during a suspension are not excused absences.

MESSAGES FOR STUDENTS —

Messages and deliveries for students will only be distributed between classes. Classroom interruptions jeopardize student learning. All messages and deliveries must be a valid emergency. Please note that items such as flowers, balloons and gifts will not be accepted for delivery to students by the PVHS staff.

PASSES —

It is the student’s responsibility to obtain a signed pass when he/she is out of class for any reason. Passes require students name, time, destination, date, and teacher’s signature. This includes all students, regardless of status or schedule. Unscheduled visits to classes will not be tolerated. The School Resource Officer will issue a truancy citation to any student caught out of class without a legitimate pass from his/her teacher.

PERMIT TO LEAVE —

Students leaving campus prior to the end of their regular school day must be signed out in person with the Attendance Office staff by a parent/guardian, or an emergency contact designee. The person signing out the student must have a picture I.D. Student drivers must present their driver’s license, along with a note from a parent/guardian indicating the time and reason the student is to be released.

Any student who leaves the campus without being properly signed out, will be marked truant. Attendance staff will not check a student out of school after 2:00p.m.

RE-ADMITS —

Students need re-admits to clear their absences they may obtain these before school, during nutrition, and during lunch. The Attendance Office will not issue re-admits during class unless a parent accompanies the student.

When clearing absences, please note that only a parent or guardian can clear an absence.

Board Policy states that a student has 72 hours in which to clear an absence in order to make up any missing assignments.

Clearing absences is the responsibility of the parent and student. Failure to clear absences in a timely manner could affect a student’s grades.

Tardiness

Any student who arrives in class after the bell marking the beginning of the class period has rung is tardy. The following guidelines should be followed to discourage tardiness: Tardy Policy Phone Master will call homes to notify parents 1st Offense Student goes to class marked tardy (unexcused) 1st warning 2nd Offense Student goes to class marked tardy (unexcused) 2nd warning 3rd Offense Student to class marked tardy (unexcused) Teacher calls parent and assigns OCD Attendance referral sent to Administration Behavior Support Plan (if appropriate) 4th Offense Student sent to Administrator Parent contacted Assigned Saturday School Counseling will develop Behavior/Attendance Contract 5th Offense Student sent to AdministratorParent Student assigned OCS remainder of day 6th Offense Student sent to Administrator Parent contacted Student assigned OCS remainder of dayReferral to SART for contract Student’s name turned over to SARB 7th Offense Student to meet with Administrator Student to serve one (1) day home Suspension Parent contacted SART Contract reviewed Student’s name resent to SARB 8th OffenseStudent to meet with Administrator Parent ContactedStudent referred to Alternative PlacementCommittee (APC) and SARB 302.3 Unexcused AbsenceAn unexcused absence is one that occurs without the permission of the student”s parent or legal guardian for reasons other than illness, quarantine, funeral, medical, or legal business. Examples of unexcused absence are: trips, inclement weather, transportation problems, babysitting, work, truancy, and suspension. The following EC reference applies to ALL unexcused absences: The teacher of any class from which a pupil is suspended may require the suspended pupil to complete any assignments and tests missed during the suspension. (EC 48913)Teachers are encouraged to allow students to make-up all work that can be reasonably provided. In such case, the student will be responsible for all make-up arrangements. Work will be completed within the time specified by the teacher. Failure to do so or excessive absence without make-up may result in a failing grade for the course.302.4

Truancy

Any student who is absent from school, without valid excuse, more than three (3) days or tardy in excess of thirty (30) minutes on each of more than three (3) days in one (1) school is a truant. (EC 48260) Truancy Policy Phone Master will call homes to notify parents1st Offense Administrator contacts parent; 3 periods or less = OCD 4 periods or more = Saturday SchoolIf student is picked up on campus, put into OCS.2nd OffenseAdministrator contacts parent; 3 periods or less = OCD 4 periods or more = Saturday SchoolIf student is picked up on campus, put into OCS. 3rd Offense Parent contact. Saturday School Parent conference with Counseling. 4th OffenseParent Contact Saturday School SARB Letter #1 & Referral to Counseling 5th OffenseParent Contact. Saturday School. Parent conference with Administrator. Warning for SART contract 6th Offense Parent Contact Saturday School SARB Letter #2 SART Contract with Administrator 7th OffenseParent Contact All Day OCS 8th OffenseParent Contact. One (1) day Suspension 9th Offense Parent Contact One (1) day Suspension. SARB Letter #3 Referral to SARB 10th OffenseParent Contact Alternative Placement Committee (APC) and SARB

STUDENTS LEAVING SCHOOL GROUNDS—

Whenever a student leaves school grounds during the day with or without permission, or with permission during the lunch period, the parent or guardian of such pupil is notified that neither the District nor any officer or employee of the District shall be liable for the conduct or safety of any pupil during such time as the student has left the school grounds(Ed. Code Section 49808.5).