To report a student’s absence/tardy, please contact the school’s attendance office at 454-9255.  Parents/legal guardians may call the attendance office between the hours of 7:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. on each day the student is absent.  Written notes excusing absences will also be accepted.  Please call within the first three (3) days when the student is absent.

All students are expected to be in physical attendance 100% of the instructional time.  Students are to be in the classes in which they are enrolled unless they have been excused to conduct school business within the immediate school setting.  Students who arrive at any class more than ten (10) minutes late will be considered ABSENT LATE (AL) for that class period. This code is considered an absence that counts towards attendance.

Students arriving late to school MUST check in at the attendance window prior to reporting to class.  Tardies will be marked unexcused if the student does not have a note or a phone call to the office from a parent prior to their arrival.

Students not meeting the attendance requirement may not receive credit even though their grades are passing.  However, those students who believe that all, or part, of their absences are the result of extraordinary circumstances may request a review of their case.

Absences 

The types of absences categories are listed below. 

1. Regular absences. These types of absences WILL be counted against the state minimum of 60 seat hours required per semester. If extreme situations arise the parent/guardian may request that an absence be declared exempt by the building principal. These include:

Absences that count toward the state limit:

UA Unexcused Absence EL Absent Late (Excused)

EA Excused Absence PA Pre-Arranged Absence

AL Absent Late TR Truancy

2. Exempt absences. These types of absences may count toward the)State limit of allowable absences each semester. They include the following: 

a)  School-related absences (AA and AR):  These include absences which result from participation in school-related activities, such as music, sports, and field trips. Students participating in school-related activities are REQUIRED to be in attendance for a full day on each day of competition to participate. Any extenuating circumstances must be pre-approved by the Athletic Director, Principal, Assistant Principal or their designee prior to participation.

b) Medical absences (DR): These include medical, dental, and licensed counseling appointments during school hours. In order to be exempt from the attendance policy, a note MUST be submitted FROM the medical office which states the date and time of the appointment, within 10 business days of the absence(s). 

c) Bereavement absences (BR): These include absences necessary to attend funeral services of family members. 

d) College visitations (CV):  Juniors and seniors visiting college campuses will be provided exempt absences IF they present a note from a campus representative on letterhead stating date(s) and times of their campus visits. 

e) Court absences (CA):  If a student must appear in court, the absences will be exempt from the attendance policy ONLY IF a statement is submitted from the clerk of the court stating the date and time of the court appearance. 

ABSENCES/TRUANCIES

No student may leave the school during school hours without receiving prior parental permission AND signing out at the attendance window.  Failure to follow proper procedures when leaving school will result in an unexcused absence/ truancy for the class periods missed.  

ALL absences/truancies will be counted against the allowable state limit each semester.  An absence/truancy is an absence from class without the approval of the parent or school authorities. A school official may contact the parent/legal guardian of the student.  

Throughout the semester, the administrators will monitor student's attendance and will communicate concerns to students and their family. The result may be loss of credit(s). Repeated truancies may result in the student being declared habitually truant and face a District Disciplinary Review Committee (DDRC) hearing. 

TARDIES

Being on time is part of success in school and beyond. Individual teachers will consistently deal with a student’s tardiness. Excessive tardies may be referred to Vallivue High School’s administration for further disciplinary action.

The administrator will follow building level interventions based upon the Tardy Policy. Administrative responses to excessive tardies may include: lunch detentions, ISS, parent meetings, accountability contracts, changes to schedules, and possible change of student placement.

Students more than 10 minutes late to a class will be marked absent late (AL), this code counts toward allowable absences.