Appendix

The VCUSD Governing Board believes that regular attendance plays an important role in student achievement. The Board shall work with parents/guardians and students to ensure their compliance with all state attendance laws and may use appropriate legal means to correct problems of chronic absence or truancy.

Absence from school shall be excused only for health reasons, family emergencies, and justifiable personal reasons, as permitted by law, Board policy, and administrative regulation. (Education Code 48205)

Student absence for religious instruction or participation in religious exercises away from school property may be considered excused subject to law and administrative regulation. (Education Code 46014)

Inasmuch as school attendance and class participation are integral to students' learning experiences, parents/guardians and students shall be encouraged to schedule medical and other appointments during non-school hours.

Students shall not be absent from school without their parents/guardians' knowledge or consent, except in cases of medical emergency or, as authorized pursuant to Education Code 46010.1, for a confidential medical appointment. BP 5113: Absences and Excuses

Excused Absences

Subject to any applicable limitation, condition, or other requirement specified in law, a student's absence shall be excused for any of the following reasons:

1. Personal illness (Education Code 48205)

2. Quarantine under the direction of a county or city health officer (Education Code 48205)

3. Medical, dental, optometrical, or chiropractic appointment (Education Code 48205)

4. Attendance at funeral services for a member of the student's immediate family (Education Code 48205). Such absence shall be limited to one day if the service is conducted in California or three days if the service is conducted out of state. (Education Code 48205)

5. Jury duty in the manner provided by law (Education Code 48205)

6. Illness or medical appointment of a child to whom the student is the custodial parent (Education Code 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: (Education Code 48205)

   • Appearance in court

   • Attendance at a funeral service

   • Observance of a religious holiday or ceremony

   • Attendance at religious retreats for no more than four hours per semester

   • Attendance at an employment conference

   • Attendance at an educational conference on the legislative or judicial process offered by a nonprofit organization

8. Service as a member of a precinct board for an election pursuant to Elections Code 12302 (Education Code 48205)

9. To spend time with an immediate family member who is an active duty member of the uniformed services, as defined in Education Code 49701, and has been called to duty for deployment to a combat zone or a combat support position or is on leave from or has immediately returned from such deployment (Education Code 48205). Such absence shall be granted for a period of time to be determined at the discretion of the Superintendent or designee. (Education Code 48205)

10. Attendance at a naturalization ceremony to become a United States citizen (Education Code 48205)

11. Participation in religious exercises or to receive moral and religious instruction at the student's place of worship or other suitable place away from school (Education Code 46014). Absence for student participation in religious exercises or instruction shall not be considered an absence for the purpose of computing average daily attendance if the student attends at least the minimum school day as specified in AR 6112 - School Day, and is not excused from school for this purpose on more than four days per school month. (Education Code 46014)

AR 5113: Absences and Excuses

Bullying Information

The VCUSD Governing Board recognizes the harmful effects of bullying on student well-being, student learning, and school attendance and desires to provide a safe school environment that protects students from physical and emotional harm. No individual or group shall, through physical, written, verbal, visual, or other means, harass, sexually harass, threaten, intimidate, cyberbully, cause bodily injury to, or commit hate violence against any student or school personnel, or retaliate against them for filing a complaint or participating in the complaint resolution process.

Examples of Prohibited Conduct

Bullying is an aggressive behavior that involves a real or perceived imbalance of power between individuals with the intent to cause emotional or physical harm. Bullying can be physical, verbal, or social/relational and may involve a single severe act or repetition or potential repetition of a deliberate act. Bullying includes, but is not limited to, any act described in Education Code 48900(r).

Cyberbullying includes the electronic creation or transmission of harassing communications, direct threats, or other harmful texts, sounds, or images. Cyberbullying also includes breaking into another person's electronic account or assuming that person's online identity in order to damage that person's reputation.

Examples of the types of conduct that may constitute bullying and are prohibited by the district include, but are not limited to:

1. Physical bullying: An act that inflicts harm upon a person's body or possessions, such as hitting, kicking, pinching, spitting, tripping, pushing, taking or breaking someone's possessions, or making cruel or rude hand gestures.

2. Verbal bullying: An act that includes saying or writing hurtful things, such as teasing, name-calling, inappropriate sexual comments, taunting, or threats to cause harm

3. Social/relational bullying: An act that harms a person's reputation or relationships, such as leaving a person out of an activity on purpose, influencing others not to be friends with someone, spreading rumors, or embarrassing someone in public

4. Cyberbullying: An act such as sending demeaning or hateful text messages or emails, spreading rumors by email or by posting on social networking sites, or posting or sharing embarrassing photos, videos, web site, or fake profiles. BP 5131.2: Bullying

Prohibited student conduct includes, but is not limited to:

1. Conduct that endangers students, staff, or others, including, but not limited to, physical violence, possession of a firearm or other weapon, and terrorist threats

2. Discrimination, harassment, intimidation, or bullying of students or staff, including sexual harassment, hate-motivated behavior, cyberbullying, hazing or initiation activity, extortion, or any other verbal, written, or physical conduct that causes or threatens to cause violence, bodily harm, or substantial disruption to the school program

3. Conduct that disrupts the orderly classroom or school environment

4. Willful defiance of staff's authority

5. Damage to or theft of property belonging to students, staff, or the district

6. Obscene acts or use of profane, vulgar, or abusive language

7. Possession, use, or being under the influence of tobacco, alcohol, or other prohibited substances

8. Possession or use of a laser pointer, unless for a valid instructional or other school-related purpose with prior permission of the principal or designee (Penal Code 417.27)

9. Use of a cell phone, smart watch, pager, or other mobile communication device during instructional time or in an unauthorized manner in violation of district policy

10. Plagiarism or dishonesty on school work or tests

11. Wearing of any attire that violates district or school dress codes, including gang-related apparel

12. Tardiness or unexcused absence from school

13. Failure to remain on school premises in accordance with school rules

14. When a student uses any prohibited device, or uses a permitted device in an unauthorized manner, a district employee may confiscate the device. The employee shall store the device securely until it is returned to the student or turned over to the principal or designee, as appropriate.

15. Students who violate district or school rules and regulations may be subject to discipline including, but not limited to, suspension, expulsion, transfer to alternative programs, referral to a student success team or counseling services, or denial of participation in extracurricular or cocurricular activities or other privileges in accordance with Board policy and administrative regulation. The Superintendent or designee shall notify local law enforcement as appropriate.

16. Students also may be subject to discipline, in accordance with law, Board policy, or administrative regulation, for any off-campus conduct during nonschool hours which poses a threat or danger to the safety of students, staff, or district property, or substantially disrupts school activities. Board Policy 5131

Meetings of the Governing Board are conducted for the purpose of accomplishing district business. In accordance with state open meeting laws (Brown Act), the Board shall hold its meetings in public and shall conduct closed sessions during such meetings only as authorized by law. Bylaw 9320: Meetings and Notices

More information regarding our Board may be found at the Board of Education website.