Attendance Information

Excused

• Absences due to illness, quarantine, or for medical, dental, optometric, or chiropractic services.
• Funeral of members of the immediate family.
• Illness or medical appointment for a child to whom the student is the custodial parent
• Justifiable personal reasons which cannot be avoided by the student, including emergency, verified parent needs, court proceedings/jury duty and religious holidays and/or instruction. Arrangements should be made in advance.
• Make-up for credit is permitted.

Unexcused

• Students who are absent or skip a class without prior permission, miss school for a reason not listed above, or whose absence is not cleared within twenty-four hours shall be unexcused. Any vacation or trip taken during the school year shall be unexcused. Car or Traffic Problems cannot be excused.

Consequences for unexcused absences (per semester per class)

1. One, two and three unexcused absences - Parents shall be notified via phone call for each absence. Student will receive detentions.

2. Truancy

   Education Code Section 48260- Any pupil subject to compulsory full-time education or to compulsory continuation education who is absent from school without valid excuse three full days in one school year or tardy or absent for 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 to the superintendent of the school district.

   Upon a pupil's initial classification as a truant, the school district shall notify the pupil's parent or guardian, by first-class mail or other reasonable means, of the following (Education Code Section 48260.5): (1) that the pupil is truant, (2) that the parent or guardian is obligated to compel the attendance of the pupil at school, (3) that parents or guardians who fail to meet this obligation may be guilty of an infraction and subject to prosecution pursuant to Article 6 (commencing with Section 48290) of Chapter 2 of Part 27, (4) that alternative educational programs are available in the district, (5) that the parent or guardian has the right to meet with appropriate school personnel to discuss solutions to the pupil's truancy, (6) that the pupil may be subject to prosecution under Section 48264, (7) that the pupil may be subject to suspension, restriction, or delay of the pupil's driving privilege pursuant to Section 13202.7 of the Vehicle Code, and (8) that it is recommended that the parent or guardian accompany the pupil to school and attend classes with the pupil for one day. Continuously truant students will be sent to the Student Attendance Review Board (SARB) to consider a proper plan for attendance. In addition, the San Mateo County Sheriff may conduct welfare checks.

Consequences regarding Graduation & Senior Activities

A senior student must have a school attendance record of 92 percent (92%) actual attendance of the periods in which a pupil is enrolled for the current school year. Both excused and unexcused absences will be counted. Absences due to school-sponsored trips and/or school activities are not counted as absences toward the 92% attendance requirement. Excessive tardies may impact this percentage. Failure to complete this requirement will result in the loss of Senior privileges (including, but not limited to, Prom, Senior Picnic, Class of the Year Celebration, Senior Breakfast, and Graduation).