Students are required to attend classes in accordance with education laws. Students are required to attend classes on a daily basis. Schools are expected to maintain accurate records of student attendance and to notify parents/and/or guardians about student tardiness and absences. Parents and guardians are expected to notify the school if the student is going to be absent. Parents and guardians are also expected to send a note signed by a parent/guardian stating why the student was absent from school signed by the parent/guardian, or doctor upon students return to school. (Furthermore, students with good attendance records generally achieve higher grades, enjoy school more and are more employable after graduation.)

Categories for attendance accountability include the following:

A. Excused: The teacher is to allow a student to make up the work missed during an excused absence, to the degree it is possible for such work to be completed (requires a 24-hour turnaround time once request is made). An excused absence shall be granted for the following reasons:

1. Personal Illness
2. Quarantine under city or county direction
3. Medical, dental, optometry, or chiropractic services - Students are strongly urged to make appointments during non-school hours
4. Attendance at funeral services for a member of the immediate family. Excused absences in this instance shall be limited to one day if the service is conducted in state or three days if the service is conducted out of state
5. Jury duty or court appointment, Parent’s employment conference
6. Absences approved in advance by an Administrator

B. Unexcused: An unexcused absence will be recorded for the following:

1. Cutting/Truancy
2. Oversleeping, car troubles, missing the bus, etc.
3. Working
4. Vacations
5. Parties, shopping, babysitting, going to work with parents, waiting for service or repair people to come
6. Personal business/problems
7. Any absence not cleared within TWO DAYS after the student returns to school
8. Suspensions
9. Leaving campus without checking out through the Main Office
10. Unverified absences

SES Attendance Procedures:

1. Notifying the School about an Absence: Parents/guardians should call the Main Office on the first day and each succeeding day of the student’s absence. If the parent or guardian does not call, the student must bring to the Main Office a note, signed and dated by the parent/guardian, explaining the nature and the day(s) of her/his absence. It is the responsibility of the parent/guardian and the student to clear all absences within 48 hours of the student’s return to school. If an absence is not cleared within the designated time, it will be recorded as an unverified absence regardless of the reason of the absence. The forgery of notes or forged telephone calls excusing a student absence will result in disciplinary action.

2. Appointments during school hours: If a student has an appointment during school hours, he/she must secure a pass from the Main Office prior to leaving campus. The parent/guardian must send a note or call the Main Office before a pass can be issued to a student. If returning to the campus later in the day, the student must first come to the Main Office before returning to class. Whenever possible, schedule regular doctor and dental appointments after school hours.

3. Student Attendance Review Board: According to Education Code 48260, a student is considered truant, “who is absent from school without a valid excuse more than three 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.” The formal procedure for addressing truancy includes an automated call the evening of the absence, notification letters to parents of truant students, referring students to student support programs, notification to the Student Attendance Review Board, and finally notification to the District Attorney’s office for further action.

Additional Attendance Information
Before a student returns to a class after being absent he/she must report to the Main Office for a re-admittance slip.
1. Any student who leaves campus during break or lunch will be subject to disciplinary action.
2. A student must be in school, or have a pre-approved absence, to be eligible to participate in extra-curricular or co-curricular activities.
3. Students with more than 10 days of absences for medical reasons must bring a doctor's note for each succeeding absence. Failure to do so will result in absence being recorded as unexcused.
4. Homework for either suspensions or unexcused absences may be made up solely at the discretion of the teacher.

Consequences for Unexcused Absences:

It is the student’s responsibility to check and promptly clear all unexcused absences through the Main Office. The Main Office will automatically call home for each unverified student absence.

If a student is late more than 30 minutes without providing a medical or dental note it will be considered unexcused. Disciplinary action will be taken when a student is tardy.
Consequences for Tardiness (on a semester basis)
Being on time for class and other appointments is a vital life-long skill. Tardiness has a direct negative impact on student learning and is reflected in student grades. Studies have clearly demonstrated that excessive absences and tardiness are a leading cause of employee dismissal in the work world.

Withdrawal

In order for a student to withdraw from school, a parent must go to the Registrar Office to initiate the process. If students check out, there is no guarantee that they can return.