Attendance Information
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Regular, punctual attendance directly correlates to academic performance. Good attendance is a shared responsibility between the student and parent. We expect parents to send their children to school each day on time and to call in any absence within 3 school days. We expect students to arrive at each class on time, to stay at school and to discuss attendance issues with their parents.
Attendance Office FAQ's
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How does the office communicate attendance issues to parents?
- Automated phone call system—calls home each night that a student has been marked absent if the absence hasn’t already been cleared by the parent/guardian.
- Automated phone call system—calls home each night that a student has been marked tardy to class.
- Parents will be mailed copies of Saturday Work/Study Program assignments and attendance contracts.
- Student attendance information can be viewed on Q ParentConnect.
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What absences can be excused?
- California Education Code section 48205 and CVUSD board policies state that absences for the following reasons may be excused:
- Personal Illness,
- Quarantine,
- Medical, dental, optometrical, or chiropractic services,
- Funeral services of an immediate family member,
- Jury duty,
- Illness during school hours of a child to whom the student is a custodial parent,
- Service as a member of a precinct board,
- Participation in religious exercises or to receive moral and religious instruction, or
- Upon advance written request
- Appearance in court
- Attendance at funeral service
- Observation of a religious holiday or ceremony
- Attendance at a religious retreat not to exceed four hours per semester
- Attendance at an employment conference.
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Can absences for other reasons be excused?
- Absence for college visits may be excused ONLY when a parent/guardian/caretaker submits a written request one week PRIOR to the anticipated absence and receives approval from the Assistant Principal of Attendance and Student Welfare.
- Approval will be based on the student’s attendance record and academic progress.
- If this request is not received prior to the trip, the absences will become truancies.
- Absence for college visits may be excused ONLY when a parent/guardian/caretaker submits a written request one week PRIOR to the anticipated absence and receives approval from the Assistant Principal of Attendance and Student Welfare.
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Which absences are "unexcused?"
- Absences for any reason not listed above are "unexcused." For example, family trips, non-TOHS athletic competitions, family emergencies, and transportation difficulty, are not reasons for which absences may be excused. When a parent/guardian/caretaker notifies the attendance office of the reason for absence before the absence occurs, the absence will be marked "unexcused."
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How do "unexcused" absences differ from "truancies?"
- When a parent/guardian/caretaker does not call the attendance office within three school days, the absence becomes a truancy. Absences cannot be excused after three days.
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What are the eligibility requirements for an Off-Campus Pass (OCP)?
- The privilege to leave campus at lunch is reserved for juniors and seniors who meet the following requirements for the previous semester:
- 2.0 GPA or higher,
- No more than 12 period truancies and/or unexcused tardies, and
- No suspensions.
- Thus, the OCP eligibility list for the Spring 2022 semester will be determined by the student’s attendance, grades, and discipline from the Fall, 2021, semester.
- The privilege to leave campus at lunch is reserved for juniors and seniors who meet the following requirements for the previous semester:
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What are the consequences for truancies or tardies?
- A Saturday Work/Study (SWS) will be assigned at 5 tardies to a single class, and student will be placed on a contract.
- Student will be placed on a contract at 5 truancies to a single class.
- Student may be drop/failed from a class after 7 truancies or tardies.
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How can parents help?
- Be proactive: check your child’s attendance regularly through the Q ParentConnect website. Contact the TOHS office if you need a PIN or password.
- When you receive an automated phone call regarding an absence, call the TOHS attendance line at (805) 496-6998 immediately to clear an absence. The line accepts messages 24 hours a day including weekends.
- If you believe a teacher has mistakenly marked your child absent, please contact that teacher directly.
- If your student has a fever or feels ill, keep the student home. Help your student differentiate between not feeling like coming to school and being too sick to attend school.
Additional Information
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LEAVING EARLY
- Parents must call the Attendance Office with the reason and time of departure.
- It is the student’s responsibility to pick up a pass in the Attendance Office before school, during passing periods, at break time or lunch so that he/she is ready to leave on time. The office staff CANNOT, for any reason, call a student out of class unless AUTHORIZED BY AN ADMINISTRATOR.
- No student may leave the campus BEFORE checking out through the office. Students who do so may be assigned a Saturday Work Study, and will be given a truancy for each class missed. The truancy will not be cleared - even if a parent/guardian/caretaker calls after the fact.
LUNCH DEPARTURES
- Students WITHOUT an off campus pass leaving between 11:50 and 12:25 and returning, may leave only when met in the office by a parent/guardian or other adult as designated by the parent/guardian. If circumstances preclude physically coming into the office, please be sure to relay this information at the time of the call as it will require Administrative approval.
- After lunch absences by students WITH an off campus pass cannot be cleared after 3 school days.
- Parents should call the Attendance Office as soon as possible if a student becomes ill while off campus and will not be returning.
- Students who choose to leave campus for lunch assume FULL RESPONSIBILITY for RETURNING PROMPTLY. Depending upon the time of late arrival, an unexcused tardy or absence will be assigned.
24 Hour Attendance Line
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Phone number:
805-496-6998
Christina Harrison
Assistant Principal Attendance and Student Welfare
