attendance

ATTENDANCE POLICY

Responsibilities For Attendance

(Education Code 48200)

The State of California mandates that all persons between the ages of 6 and 18 years of age attend school on a full-time basis. Parents/guardians are legally responsible for enrolling their children in school and also for the punctual and regular attendance of their children. Parents/guardians must verify the nature of all students’ full or partial day absences. This can be done with a written note within three days of the child’s absence. The best procedure is to have the student return to school with a written note, which must be turned into the Attendance Office.

It is recommended that dental and medical appointments be made other than during school time, except for emergencies. It is the student’s responsibility to develop and maintain a consistent pattern of attendance in all classes and to secure all make-up work for all excused absences. Excessive tardiness and/or unexcused truancies may lead to disciplinary action – such as In-house suspension, SART, Saturday School, SARB, citations, loss of credit, loss of school privilege, class schedule modifications, alternate placement, and/or legal action taken against the student and their parent/guardian.

All absences left unverified by a parent/guardian three (3) days after an absence will be marked as unexcused. Parent(s)/guardian(s) must state the nature of the absence on the written note.

Notes that simply say “family emergency” or “personal business” will be marked unexcused.

ABSENCE/TARDY CATEGORIES FOR STUDENT ATTENDANCE

Legal excused absences recognized by California State Law:

1.• Personal illness – no doctor’s note
2.• Death/funeral of immediate family member (1 day local, 3 days out of town)
3.• Medical/Dental appointments (requires doctor’s note)
4.• Extended illnesses requiring hospital or doctor’s care requires a doctor’s note.

Personal excused absences not recognized by California State Law:

1.• College Visits
2.• Funeral services outside the immediate family
3.• Religious holiday or ceremony of student’s own religion
4.• Appearance in court
5.• Identified Family Emergencies

All other absences are considered unexcused/truant when a student is absent from school or a class without authorization and clearance from the Attendance Office.

PERFECT ATTENDANCE

Students are encouraged to strive for perfect attendance. Those who do so will be recognized for their efforts by one of our student recognition programs. Perfect attendance is defined as no period absences for a semester. The only exceptions are absences designated as “V” and defined as school approved athletic trips, field trips, or school office appointments.

RETURNING FROM ABSENCE PROCEDURES

When returning from an absence, the student must bring a note stating the reason for the absence signed by his/her parent/guardian to the Attendance Office. Notes should include student’s name, date of absence, date of return, reason of absence, parent’s phone number and signature. Only legal parent/guardian may write reasons for student’s absence. A note is necessary to verify an absence no later than three (3) days after the student returns from an absence. A phone call will not excuse a student.

Please be reminded a written note must be turned in even if a phone call was made. The Attendance Office is staffed from 7:30 A.M. – 7:30 P.M. on days of school attendance. Attendance Office telephone number is (562) 602-6074. We will also be utilizing Attendance Office staff and our Auto-Dialer during the days and evenings to notify parents/guardians of unexcused absences and/or class cuts.

ABSENCES BEFORE AND AFTER A HOLIDAY

Due to the large volume of student absences preceding and immediately following all school holidays, we have found it necessary to add an addendum to our policy to address this critical issue. Therefore, all absences leading up to and/or immediately following all school holidays will be unexcused unless a student returns to school with a note from a doctor or dentist. Any exception must have administrative approval.

TARDY SWEEP

For those students who do not make it to class on time, we will host, daily and period by period Tardy Sweeps. Students who are tardy will be given 45 minutes after school detention to be served the same day. Those students who continue to be tardy will be placed on SART and/or SARB contracts, can be cited by the Sheriff Deputy. Being tardy is a very bad habit to form. Tardy students cause many class disruptions and take away valuable class time from their peers.

SATURDAY “MAKEUP” SCHOOL

Pursuant to Education Code Section 37223, truant pupils may be assigned to weekend classes without parent permission. A student who has been labeled a truant per the compulsory attendance regulations may be assigned to Saturday School without parent permission (Education Code Section 48260). Students not attending Saturday School to make up their unexcused absences may jeopardize their privilege to participate in school activities and school functions. These activities and functions include but are not limited to: school dances, such as Winter Formal & Prom, athletic events, field trips and the Graduation Ceremonial activities.

EC 48260 TRUANCY DEFINITION

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 office supervisor or to the superintendent of the school district.

CITATION FOR TRUANCY (DAYTIME CURFEW ORDINANCE PMO 30-6.1)

On June 5, 1998, the city of Paramount’s daytime curfew ordinance went into effect. PMO 30-6.1 authorizes the sheriff’s department to cite all persons between the ages of 6 through 18, when they are absent from school without a valid excuse. The minors who are present upon public streets, highways, roads, alleys, park playgrounds or public grounds between the hours of 8:30 A.M. and 2:30 P.M. on days when the student’s school is in session are in violation. This also applies to students who are in the process of suspension, expulsion or have transfers in progress.

STUDENT RELEASE PROCEDURES

Research has shown that uninterrupted class time allows students the opportunity to learn and retain more. We here at Paramount High School are motivated to create this type of environment for your child. Thus, our motivation has prompted us to try and guard against interruptions to your student’s instruction time. By adhering to the following protocol, we along with you will eliminate such interruptions.

PROCEDURE FOR RELEASING STUDENTS

SEND A NOTE: Student should drop note off in the attendance office before school.

In order to better serve you and to expedite the release of your child, please send your student(s) to the Attendance Office with a signed note indicating your request for their release. The note should contain the following information:

1.• Student name and grade level
2.• Date
3.• Indicate the time you want the student released
4.• Indicate the reason for the student’s early release
5.• Provide a telephone number where you can be reached in order for the attendance office

personnel to verify the note.

1.• Must have parent/guardian signature

Notes will only be accepted from legal guardian and all signatures will be matched with the emergency card signatures.

RELEASE WITHOUT A NOTE:

To release a student who did not bring a note in advance requires that the parent come in to the school office and show identification. This is the type of situation that primarily creates classroom interruptions since we do need to call the teacher to release the student, thus, interrupting instruction.

Therefore, if parents are here to pick up students and the student did not bring a note, students will not be called out of class until the last ten (10) minutes of the class period, unless it is an extreme emergency i.e., someone is gravely ill or an accident has occurred. On those cases, an Administrator will make the final decision. Students will only be released to parent/guardian and or individuals designated by parent/guardian on the emergency card. Current form of identification is required; this includes California Driver’s license, California I.D. or a passport.

REMINDER: The Attendance Office will not accept items to be given or delivered to students. This includes, but not limited to, messages, money, house keys, PE clothes, class assignments, books and supplies, or projects. The office staff has been directed not to interrupt class instruction except for cases of emergency. If parents insist on leaving items it will be at their own risk; however, their student will not be notified

CONSEQUENCES

Full Day Unexcused Absence/Truancy Four (4) or More Periods

1st Full Day Unexcused Absence/Truancy

Parent notification by phone or Auto-Dialer