Absence Procedure
Regular attendance is essential for academic and social success. Parents are responsible for making sure their children are at school daily and on time. The California Education Code (Sec. 48200) requires that all children between the ages of six and eighteen attend school. Students who miss an excessive number of school days without communication from parents may be dropped from the school roster. Students who must miss more than five consecutive days of school should apply for independent study (see page ).
- Truant - Students who are absent from school for more than 3 days without a valid excuse or notification.
- Habitual Truant - Students who are absent from school for more than 3 days without a valid excuse or notification on three separate occasions.
- Truant Tardy - Students who are more than 30 minutes late to school without a valid excuse.
- Habitually Truant Tardy - Students who are more than 30 minutes late to school without a valid excuse on three occasions.
- Excessive absences - Students who miss more than 20 days of school regardless of reason.
**Habitually truant students and students with excessive absences, regardless of reason, will be referred to the School Attendance Review Board (SARB), including the Merced County District Attorney’s Office**
*Students arriving late to school MUST report directly to the attendance window for an admission slip.*
Tardy Policy
It is the responsibility of students to make sure that they are at school and in class on time. The school policy states that students must be in the room, at a minimum, to be considered present; however, individual teachers may require that students be in their desk, or on their PE number, in order to be considered present. It is the student’s responsibility to know each of their teacher’s attendance policies.
The first two tardies of each quarter are warnings and are not counted against the student as far as interventions; however, students will receive consequences for any tardies accumulated beyond the first two tardies (see below). All tardies count against students for any attendance rewards, including perfect attendance. Tardies are reset at the beginning of each quarter, allowing for a “fresh start.”
Tardy Interventions
3rd tardy: After School Detention or Campus Beautification
4th tardy: After School Detention or Campus Beautification
5th tardy: After School Detention, Meeting with Administrator and Parent - Attendance Contract
6th tardy: Friday School
7th tardy: Friday School & Loss of School Extra Privileges
8th tardy: Friday School & Referred to School Attendance Review Team (SART)
9th tardy: 1 day In-House Suspension (on campus) & School Attendance Review Board (SARB)
10th tardy: 1 day Suspension
*After 10 tardies in one quarter consideration for an alternative educational setting may be considered.
**Failure to attend Friday School will result in an In-House or Home Suspension the following school day.
Early Checkout
Checking students out early from school is highly discouraged. When a student is checked out early it can affect the student’s attendance record and academic success. In the event that a student needs to be released from school early, students will not be called to the office until the parent/guardian has arrived at school to pick them up. Students will not be called early to wait in the office. Students are not allowed to sign themselves out or walk home when a parent/guardian is not available to pick them up due to suspension, illness, etc.