Absence
School Hours: Doors open at 7:00 AM and close at 4:00 PM.
The regular school day begins at 8:00 AM with the warning bell ringing at 7:55 AM. Dismissal is regularly scheduled for 2:30 PM except as noted on the school calendar.
Regular Attendance
Regular and punctual attendance at school is required by California State Law (Education Code 46010-46014, 48200-48204). Credit is given for each course when the student has met the minimum standards established by the school for academic achievement and regular attendance.
It is the responsibility of the parents/guardians to ensure the regular attendance of students at school. Current home and work phone numbers must be provided to the school so that immediate contact can be made regarding any irregularity in attendance or any emergency. If parent(s) plan to be out of town and supervision of the student will be assumed by someone else, the attendance office must be notified. Failure to do so may cause unnecessary difficulties.
If a student of any age moves into another residence because of family difficulties or for other reasons, it is still the responsibility of the parent/guardian to report absences, write excuses, and approve planned absences, early dismissals, or emergency medical treatment. Notification to the school regarding any changes in the student's place of residence helps to forestall potential problems. It is expected that any living arrangements will be in conformity with the school's basic principles.
School doors open at 6:45 AM on regular school days. Some teachers are here early for tutoring. It is imperative that proper school behavior be maintained at all times during the school day.
School doors are closed by 4:00 PM. Parent responsibility is to have made arrangements to have his/her student safely picked up at that time.
Procedures Regarding Absences
Parents/Guardians must call the Attendance Secretary at (562)435-4496 x1240 between 7:30 AM and 8:30 AM each day the student is absent. If you are prompted to leave a message, please leave the student name, grade, your contact phone number and the reason the student will be late or not attending school.
By 7:45 AM on the day of the return to school after the absence of any duration (even one period), a student must submit to the attendance office a parent note. The note must contain: student's full name, student's grade, date(s) of absence, the explicit reason for absence, the signature of the parent/guardian, and the phone number(s) at which parent/guardian may be contacted during the day. For the absence to be classified as a medical absence, there must be a note from the doctor with diagnoses and clearance to return, or it will be considered a regular absence. If a student does not present a written note, his/her absence will be considered unexcused. If a parent/guardian has already called in the absence the student will be permitted to go to class, otherwise the student must call the parent at the attendance window for verification of the absence.
Falsification of Note and/or Misrepresentation by Phone: Forging a parent/guardian's name on a note, altering a note in any way, making or having someone else make a phone call in which the caller falsely claims to be a parent/guardian are all illegal and dishonest and will be subject to disciplinary action.
Attendance Benchmarks
The following actions will result if a student reaches certain attendance benchmarks:
- 5 absences = courtesy notification via phone call or email home
- 10 absences = loss of academic credit
Attending/Participation in Co-Curricular Activities on Days of Absence
Students who wish to practice for, participate in, or attend any school activity and/or athletics must be in school at least half of that given day. Any student who is absent for more than half of the academic day, suspended (in-school or out-of-school), or truant may not participate in any school co-curricular events that day (i.e., athletic events, dances, senior events, drama activities, and special programs). Special circumstances should be directed to the Assistant Principal of Student Affairs.
Make-Up Work Due to Absence
It is the student's responsibility to arrange with his or her teacher to make up a test or work missed because of absence.
Teachers are required to permit students with excused absences to make up assignments and tests missed during the absence. The student will be permitted to make up missed work and tests within the amount of time in which the student was absent up to 10 school days after return to school.
In the case of unexcused absences, missed assignments and tests may be made up at the discretion of teachers.
In the case of a student truancy, the student will earn a zero for any assignment/test missed on the day of occurrence, and the work may not be made up.
Parents should realize that a student's grade may suffer because of any absence.
Acceptance of late homework, except homework late due to absence, is as the discretion of the teacher.
Attendance Requirement for Academic Credit
Since both attendance and classroom participation are requirements for success in a course, it is a school policy that in the event of a student accumulating ten or more absences in a semester (per class period), the student will be denied academic credit for the semester. If a student comes to school tardy and misses any class period, each missed class will count as an absence and the class the student will be arriving to will count as a tardy.
In cases of loss of academic credit for attendance reasons, a student must petition in writing for the credit to be restored. Credit Restoration Petition Forms may be obtained from the Academic Dean or Assistant Principal of Curriculum and Instruction.
