Pioneer High School Attendance

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Attendance

State law requires that all minors attend school full time. Regular attendance is essential to learning and academic success. Attendance is taken each period and is noted in the attendance system. If a student is absent for an unexcused reason, the parent/guardian will receive an automated phone call notifying them. We believe that communication is key to minimize student absence and/or truancy.

Excused Absence(s) Procedures

All students must clear their unexcused absence(s) within 2 days (48 hours) of the absence. (See below for what is considered an excused absence)
A parent/guardian may call the Attendance Office at 661-4507 to clear an excused absence. In this manner, a written note is not necessary.
If you have a note from your parent/guardian, bring it to the Attendance Office before 8:15 a.m., during your lunch, or after school. The note should be signed by your parent/guardian and include your name, dates(s) of absence(s), reason for absence(s), and a current telephone number where your parent/guardian can be reached.

- Medical Notes: Vague medical notes indicating that students will miss school due to a medical condition will not excuse them in perpetuity. The notes should be specific as to the rate of absence the student may experience.
- Regardless of medical notes on file, once a student has missed more than 14 days, using an excused reason, the student may be categorized in the “excessive excused” category and the school may ask for additional documentation and meet with families regarding attendance.

Underclassmen may lose their senior off-campus (SOC) lunch privileges during their senior year if they are caught off campus during lunch. Seniors may lose their SOC privileges if they are caught transporting underclassmen, arrive late from lunch, or do not return from lunch without following proper procedure

When students are absent, their education suffers and our schools suffer. Each student generates average daily attendance (ADA) funding. Our district creates a budget based on the number of students expected in class each day. When a student is absent, the district/school receives no ADA. Personal reasons for missing school are generally unexcused. Only those reasons specified in EC 48205 (below) are excused. Call the Attendance Office in advance to discuss any reasons not listed below in EC 48205. Administrative permission, in advance, is required for all absences not listed below, otherwise the absence will not be excused.

Types of Absences:

Excused: Absences due to illness, doctor or dental appointments, and death in the immediate family (mother, father, live-in relative).
Unexcused: Absences due to truancy, flat tires, running out of gas, missing the bus, oversleeping, etc.
Absences due to suspension from school will be considered an unexcused absence.

Excused Absences
A student's absence shall be excused for the following reasons:
1. Personal illness (EC 48205)
2. Quarantine under the direction of a county or city health officer (EC 48205)
3. Medical, dental, optometric, or chiropractic appointments (EC 48205)
4. Attendance at funeral services for a member of the immediate family (EC 48205)

a. Excused absence in this instance shall be limited to one day if the service is conducted in California or three days if the service is conducted out of state. (EC 48205)

b. "Immediate family" shall be defined as mother, father, grandmother, grandfather, spouse, son/son-in-law, daughter/ daughter-in-law, brother, sister or any relative living in the student's immediate household. (EC 45194, 48205)

5. Jury duty in the manner provided by law (EC 48205)
6. The illness or medical appointment during school hours of a child to whom the student is the custodial parent (EC 48205)

7. Upon advance written request by the parent/guardian and the approval of the principal or designee, justifiable personal reasons including but not limited to: (EC 48205)

a. Appearance in court
b. Attendance at a funeral service
c. Observation of a holiday or ceremony of his/her religion
d. Attendance at religious retreats not to exceed four hours per semester
e. Attendance at an employment conference

8. Service as a member of a precinct board for an election pursuant to Elections Code 12302 (EC 48205)
9. Participation in religious instruction or exercises in accordance with district policy:
10. ( EC 46014)
a. In such instances, the student shall attend at least the minimum school day
b. The student shall be excused for this purpose on no more than four days per school month

NOTE: Even if a student is 18 years of age, the attendance office reserves the right to verify all absences with a parent/guardian. Excessive absences (more than 10) for illness will require a note from a physician.

Illness While at School

If a student becomes ill during the day, the student needs to go to the Nurse’s Office so an assessment can be made and notification given if the student is to be sent home. If being sent home, the nurse/authorized staff must check the student out for the day.

Parents cannot give permission for students to leave for home or a medical appointment over the phone. The parent/guardian or someone listed on the emergency card must check the student in person out at the attendance office.

Extra-curricular/Athletics Attendance

Students must attend all class periods of school for the day they wish to participate in any extra-curricular activity, whether it be athletics or otherwise. Students who are injured, not dressed out for PE, or are too ill for Physical Education class, may not participate in any after school physical activity on that day. This includes practices, meetings, performances, competitions and games. If a student has In-School Retention on or after the day of the offense, he/she may not participate in any extra-curricular activity for that day.

Early Dismissal/ "Leave of Grounds"

Students, if you have a medical or other appointment that requires you to be released from school early, please follow the process listed below:

Have your parent/guardian phone the Attendance Office at 661-4507, or bring a note prior to the start of school. Be advised that parents/guardians will be called to verify any early dismissal requested by a written note so please ensure that a current phone number is listed.
You will be issued a pass with a time to return to the Attendance Office for your early dismissal. Students must be checked out by their parents/guardians in person in the school office before leaving campus.
If you are unable to return to campus within the time allowed on the Early Dismissal, have your parent/guardian call the Attendance Office at 661-4507.
Students identified as having an excessive number of early dismissals will be required to clear future requests with a vice principal.
A medical verification may be required upon return to school. A medical verification will be required on all excessive leave of grounds (5 or more per term).
Because attendance is so important for student success in school, Pioneer High School discourages routine medical or dental appointments made during school hours.

Tardy Policy (per Semester)

Tardy Policy (per Semester)

Students are encouraged to take traffic patterns into consideration as they plan for travel to the school.
Students who arrive to class after the bell has rung will be marked tardy.
Students who arrive 15 or more minutes late will also be marked tardy and teachers may not accept work
from the student.
Consequences for tardies
- 1st Tardy – Teacher warning/ consequence
- 2nd Tardy –Teacher warning/ consequence/ Teacher contacts parent
- 3rd Tardy – Referral to admin; 1 hour Wednesday School
- Repeated Tardies- Parent meeting with administrator/ Tardy Contract signed / Wednesday School
Students may, from time to time, feel ill in the morning. Parents should call the school in the event their student is late due to illness.
After the third such time, the student will be marked as tardy, and an administrative conference and/or doctor's notes may be required.

When a student arrives at school 10 or more minutes late, whether it is excused or not, he/she must report to the Attendance Office before going to class to have his/her arrival time documented. Absences not cleared within two days will be considered unexcused.