Skip to main content
Main Menu Toggle
For Families » Attendance Information

Attendance Information

Attendance at school is compulsory under California State Law. 

REGULAR ATTENDANCE IS THE SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT FACTOR IN DETERMINING YOUR CHILD’S SUCCESS IN SCHOOL.  Parents have the responsibility to assure that their children attend class on the days school is in session. Of course, children should not attend school if they are ill.

Absence Verification

Report all absences immediately. When a student is absent from school for any reason, call the school on the first day of the absence.

School Office:   510-537-0630              

Attendance Line Extension: 4590

When leaving a voicemail state:

  • Your student’s full name
  • Teacher’s name and Room #
  • Date(s) of absence
  • The reason for the absence
  • Your name and relationship to the student

Absences Due to Illness

A doctor’s written verification of illness is required for students with absences lasting for 3 or more days.  Absences may be excused with a doctor’s notification.

Absences Due to Religious Observances

Absences due to observance of a holiday or ceremony of a student’s religion may be excused with prior notification to the school.

 

 
If you need to pick up your student before the end of the school day, you must come to the office first to sign your student out of school.
 
It is helpful if you send a note to school with your student for the teacher. This will enable the teacher and the student to prepare for an early departure.
 
 
 
Students are expected to be in class on time. When students are late, they interrupt the lesson that has already started and they miss valuable information.
 
When your child is tardy, make sure they check in with the main office to pick-up a tardy slip. We will notify parents, if students consistently arrive late to school.
 
Three unexcused tardies will be cause for a 30 minute detention.
Excused tardies are subject to the same Ed. Code guidelines as excused absences.
 
 

 

Parents will be notified by telephone and/or by letter, if absences are excessive. If absences continue, the child will be considered truant and appropriate action will be taken.

 

Please note that three unexcused absences will classify your child as truant throughout the school year.

 

The State of California classifies students with 3 or more absences as truant pursuant of CA Ed. Code. If your child has 3 or more unexcused absences at any point within the school year, you will be notification and requested to contact the school to provide further clarification to the attendance clerk and/or make an appointment to meet with the principal.

 
 
Definition of a Truant 
 
The California Legislature defined a truant in very precise language. In summary, it states that a student missing more than 30 minutes of instruction without an excuse three times during the school year must be classified as a truant and reported to the proper school authority. This classification and referral helps emphasize the importance of school attendance and is intended to help minimize interference with instruction. The California Education Code (EC) Section that defines a truant reads as follows:

 

EC Section 48260 (a): Any pupil subject to compulsory full-time education or compulsory continuation education who is absent from school without a valid excuse three full days or tardy or absent more than any 30-minute period during the school day without a valid excuse on three occasions in one school year, or any combination thereof, is a truant and shall be reported to the attendance supervisor or the superintendent of the school district.

 

 

 
Students with ongoing attendance concerns will be referred to S.A.R.T., the School Site Attendance Review Team. Continued attendance issues after referral to S.A.R.T. can include referral to the CVUSD S.A.R.B., the School Attendance Review Board.
 
 
 
  • Kindergarten is important! National research shows that chronically absent kindergarteners show lower academic performance than their peers once in 1st grade.
 
  • Poor attendance habits formed in elementary school can cause truancy and ultimately drop out issues at the secondary level.
 
  • Students cannot learn if they don’t come to school daily and schools face greater challenges in improving if students are chronically absent.
 
  • Parents and guardians need to make school and education a top priority for their children every day.  If there is something getting in the way of your child’s daily attendance, please contact the school immediately so that the school and home can work together.
 
 
 
While students are highly discouraged from missing school for reasons other than illness, family emergencies or special events sometimes necessitate travel out of the area. In order to avoid penalties for missing class for these reasons, students must contract to do work during the period of the absence. Independent Study Contracts must meet strict California State guidelines in order to result in excused absences.
 

A short-term Independent Study contract is a voluntary alternative to a regular classroom program of instruction when a student is absent from school for not less than three (3) and not more than ten (10) consecutive school days.

 

No Independent Study agreements are allowed the first 10 days school days of the year, nor the last 15 school days of the year.

 

Schools are not obligated to provide students with an Independent Study contract. The availability of an Independent Study contract must be agreed upon by mutual consent of the principal, teacher, parent/guardian, and student. Students should only be placed on Independent Study if the student can successfully accomplish their academics. 

 

Requests for Independent Study contracts must be given to the main office at least 10 school days prior to the first day of the absence (in the event of an emergency, contact the principal).

 

A written Independent Study contract must be completed, signed and dated for each participating student prior to the starting date of the Independent Study. 

 

All assigned work is due on the day upon which the student is scheduled to return to the classroom and shall be graded by appropriately credentialed teachers.  This due date cannot be extended, even due to illness so the work must be turned-in. 

 

If Independent Study work is deemed incomplete by the classroom teacher, the teacher will determine the total number of days of Independent Study credit that will be given to the child. All lost days of Independent Study credit due to incomplete work will turn into unexcused absences.

 

Students on Independent Study will not be eligible for the Perfect Attendance Award. Students with IEP may only participate in the Independent Study program if it is written into the student’s IEP.

 

To view the Board Policy and Administrative Regulation for Independent Study,

please click the links below:
BP 6158
AR 6158