Attendance Policy

If your student is absent (or tardy beyond 30 minutes) from school, the parent or guardian is obligated to report the absence or tardy to the school site.  In order to ensure the safety of your child, we are asking parents and guardians to report all absences immediately - this will support our efforts in reporting timely and accurate information back to you regarding your child's whereabouts. 

Please report absences immediately by calling our office at 619.344.5700, the morning of the absence. All absences must be verified within 5 days by direct phone call or note signed by a parent/guardian and delivered to the attendance clerk. After 5 days, all absences will be coded as unexcused. EACH day of absence must be called in and verified. 

** For COVID-19 info and self-reporting, please visit our SAN DIEGO UNIFIED COVID 19 INFORMATION

If your student is out sick for more than (3) days, a doctor's note will be required upon return to school.

Due to the high volume of calls received, please be prepared to leave a voicemail with the following information:

• Student's first and last name.

• Student's grade

• Date or dates of absence

• Reason for absence

• Your relationship to the student

• Best contact number to reach you if we have any questions. 

 Excused Absences 

Our attendance policy (in accordance with Ed. Code 48205) stipulates that absences can only be excused for the following reasons:

• Personal Illness or injury

• Quarantine under the direction of a country or city health official

• Medical, dental, optometric, or chiropractic services in which students can present a note from parent/ guardian, or evidence of appointment 

• Attendance of funeral service for a member of the IMMEDIATE family 

• Jury duty in the manner provided by the law

• Pupil is the custodial parent of a child who is ill or has a medical appointment 

• Exclusion for failure to present evidence of immunization

• Exclusion from school because the student is either a carrier of a contagious disease or not immunized from a contagious disease 

• Upon written request of the Parent/ Guardian, prior approval of the Principal or designee and pursuant to Board policy, a student's absence may be excused for additional reasons. 

Our attendance policy (in accordance with Ed. Code 48205) stipulates that tardies can only be excused for the reasons listed above. Therefore, an unexcused tardy is the same as an unexcused absence.

Early Leave

Students who plan to leave campus for a medical or court appointment must follow proper procedures. Students be signed out by the parent or someone on their emergency card. Parents and emergency contact must present a valid ID to the front office prior to student being released from school. 

When a student has had more than 5 consecutive days or 14 total EXCUSED absences in a school year, any further absences for illness must be verified by a physician with a doctor’s note or they will be unexcused (CCR 5, 421).

Unexcused Absences

Any absence, for any reason other than those listed above  under Excused Absences, is considered unexcused. An excused absence that is not properly reported (or verified by doctor’s note if needed) within 5 days will be considered unexcused.

Examples of unexcused absence: Car issues, out of town, inclement weather, sibling sick but other student also remains home, parent has an appointment for themselves, family emergency without explanation of what emergency is and personal reasons. 

Truancy/Excessive Absences

 District policy states that when a student receives 3 W (over 30 minutes tardy or leaving 30 minutes prior to dismissal and/or 3 U (unexcused absences), the first notification of truancy will be sent to parents. 

When a student receives 6 full days of U (unexcused absences) the 2nd letter of truancy will be sent home and a meeting with the counselor will occur. 

3rd letter of truancy will be sent home after at least 7 full days of U is recorded and meeting with counselor and other school staff with occur. 

SARB referral can be completed after 7 full days  of unexcused absences during the year. 

• The first bell rings at 8:55 am, indicating students are to go to class. The tardy bell rings at 9:00 am. Students are expected to be in their seats and ready for instruction.  Any student not in their assigned seat at the time of the bell is considered tardy. These absences are marked “T” in PowerSchool and are unexcused. 

• Medical appointments are the only excused reasons for lateness.  These are marked “L” in PowerSchool and are excused. Students with excessive tardiness due to medical reasons will be referred to our school nurse for additional support.

• Students arriving more than 30 minutes late or leaving 30 minutes prior to dismissal.  These are marked “W” in PowerSchool and are unexcused. San Diego Unified considers any tardy of more than 30 minutes  late or leaving 30 minutes prior to dismissal  to be truancy. 

District policy states that when a student receives 3 W (over 30 minutes tardy or leaving 30 minutes prior to dismissal and/or 3 U (unexcused absences), the first notification of truancy will be sent to parents.

When a student receives 6 full days of U (unexcused absences) the 2nd letter of truancy will be sent home. and counselor meeting will occur with parents. 

3rd letter of truancy will be sent home after at least 7 full days of U is recorded and a meeting will occur with the counselor and other school staff. 

SARB referral can be completed after 7 full days  of unexcused absences during the year. 

Student who will be absent for 5 days or more may request an Independent Study Contract at the front office. Or you may log into the parent portal and complete request there. 

To request an Independent Study Contract please follow the steps below:

1. Please request contract 2 weeks prior to date student will be starting contract. Please request the contract at our front office. 

2. Sign all paperwork needed.

3. Contract and homework will be send home with the student on the last day of attendance prior to start of absence.

4. Return completed contract within a week after absence.