Attendance Policy

IT IS THE STRONG BELIEF OF HEMET UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT GOVERNING BOARD AS WELL AS IDYLLWILD SCHOOL THAT REGULAR AND PUNCTUAL ATTENDANCE AT SCHOOL IS AN ABSOLUTE REQUIREMENT FOR A SUCCESSFUL EDUCATION.

THE IMPORTANCE OF ATTENDANCE
The purpose of all students attending school is to receive an education. The responsibility of every student is to attend school daily and be on time. School programs, including the daily instructional program and extended intervention and enrichment classes, lose revenue every day a student is absent. California law requires that children from six to eighteen years of age attend school regularly. Our entire school community is committed to reducing absenteeism. Our staff is dedicated to this goal by providing meaningful and enriching learning activities. The daily instructional program as well as the after school intervention and enrichment programs help encourage regular attendance. The student recognition awards for perfect attendance and the snack bar coupons for improved attendance are incentives.

RESPONSIBILITY FOR CHILD’S EDUCATION AND ATTENDANCE AT SCHOOL
The California Education Code 48200 requires that children attend school on a regular basis and specifically defines the attendance requirements, excused and unexcused absences, truancy and the legal enforcement of these laws.

ATTENDANCE POLICY
All students are required to attend school every day that school is in session and to arrive on time. It is the parent’s responsibility and obligation to see that their child meets this requirement.

ABSENCE/TARDY—DEFINITIONS
A student is considered to have an excused absence/tardy due to illness, medical, optical, or dental appointments, death in immediate family or verified emergencies by parent upon arrival at school (no consequences). A student is considered to have an unexcused absence/tardy when the school does not authorize it. Even though the parent is aware that the student is not in school, such absences or tardies as entertaining visitors, private shopping, visiting friends, going off the hill, or other personal reason will be barked unexcused. Absences by the student without parent knowledge will be marked TRUANT. The student is required to make up any work missed as a result of any absence, whether excused or unexcused. It is the student’s (grade 6-8), and the parent’s and student’s (K-5) responsibility to get missed work, to complete it and turn it in by the expected due date.

CONSEQUENCES
A student is classified as truant if he/she has three unexcused absences or is late (over 30 minutes) within any school year. Stage 1 letters automatically generated and mailed at this point from Child Welfare and Attendance. A student can avoid being classified as truant by making up for one unexcused absence with attendance of one session of Saturday School. A student having three or more excused absences is required to attend a session of Saturday School for each excused absence beyond the first three unless all work is up to date. Upon the second truancy of any student (5 excused absences) the parents will receive Stage 2 notification of the truancy in writing and will be required to attend a meeting with the school administration. Upon the third truancy of any student, the parents will receive Stage 3 notification in writing and will be required to attend a meeting with the school administration. At the discretion of the School and/or District administration the truancy will be referred to the local law enforcement agency for a home visit. The California Education Code requires that further truancies be referred to the District Attorney’s office.