Attendance

Parents should report all student absences to the Attendance Office
by emailing the attendance office.

Please use the appropriate email based on student's last name

[email protected]

Students Leaving Campus During the School Day

Students must get an OFF CAMPUS Pass BEFORE leaving campus. Students who fail to check out through the Attendance Office prior to leaving campus for any reason will receive a CUT. This includes 18 year olds.

Parents must notify the attendance office so that we may generate a pass and for the student to be dismissed from class. This check out process takes time and cannot always be completed last minute, so advance notification is required. If your student must leave campus you can call (310)377-4888 ext 42681 or 42682 or email (see email addresses above) In order to keep all students safe, Security will not let any students leave without the OFF CAMPUS Pass from the Attendance office.

If your student is not feeling well they need to proceed to the health office to be checked out. You can also contact the health office directly for your students dismissal. 310-377-4888 ext 42291

Attendance Policies and Procedures

The purpose of this section on our school website is to outline the state mandates and our district policies as related to school attendance.

Palos Verdes Peninsula USD - BP 5113 Students /Absences And Excuses
The Board of Education 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.

Excused Absences
Absence from school shall be excused only for health reasons, family emergencies, and justifiable personal reasons, as permitted by law, Board policy, and administrative regulations. (Education Code 48205)
Inasmuch as class participation is an integral part of students’ learning experiences, parents/guardians and students shall be encouraged to schedule medical appointments during non-school hours.
At the beginning of each school year, the Superintendent or designee shall send a notification to the parents/guardians of all students, and to all students in grades 7-12, informing them that school authorities may excuse any student from school to obtain confidential medical services without the consent of the student’s parent/guardian. (Education Code 46010.1)

Parental Notifications (cf. 5145.6)
Students shall not be absent from school without their parents/guardians’ knowledge or consent except in cases of medical emergency or confidential medical appointment.
Student absence for religious instruction or participation in religious exercises away from school property may be considered excused subject to law and administrative regulations. (Education Code 46014)

Effect of Absence on Grades/Credits
If a student’s absence is excused under Education Code 48205, he/she shall be allowed to complete any missed assignment or test that can be reasonably given, as determined by the teacher of that class. The student shall be given full credit for the assignment or test if he/she satisfactorily completes the assignment or test within a reasonable period of time. (Education Code 48205)
A student’s grades may be affected by excessive unexcused absences in accordance with Board policy.
(cf. 5121 – Grades/Evaluation of Student Achievement)
(cf. 6154 – Homework/Makeup Work)

Absences

STUDENTS WHO ARE ABSENT: Parents should report all student absences to the Attendance Office by emailing the office using [email protected] for last names A-L or [email protected] for last names M-Z.

IMPORTANT: If the Attendance Office is not notified by phone, the student must provide the Attendance Office with a written note providing the reason for the absence. A parent or guardian must sign the note. The note must be provided on the day the student returns to school. Students who have been absent part of the day must report to the Attendance Office immediately upon returning to school.

All absences must be cleared in 72 hours in written form for safety and audit purposes. Notes may be deposited anytime during the school day in the basket in the Attendance Office. Please check your AERIES account and clear any all-day absences within 72 hours.
Students must get an OFF CAMPUS Pass BEFORE leaving campus. Students who fail to check out through the Attendance Office or Health Office prior to leaving campus for any reason will receive a CUT. This includes 18 year olds.
Truancy is an unauthorized absence from school for any part of the school day missed - see below for more information
Parents will be notified by an automatic phone service when students are out three or more periods in one day.
VERY IMPORTANT: State law has changed. Schools do NOT receive funding for excused absences. Excused Absences: Please refer to Education Codes 48205, 46014, 48225.5, 48205, and 48260. To see a full list of excused absences, visit the PVPUSD Policies and Regulations Manual on the District website https://simbli.eboardsolutions.com/Policy/ViewPolicy.
Parents planning to be out of town must notify the Attendance Office and the Health Office and provide temporary guardian information in written form. THIS MUST BE DONE PRIOR TO THE PARENTS’ DEPARTURE
Students who have had a communicable disease (i.e., pink eye, mononucleosis, chicken pox, etc.) must check with the school nurse before being readmitted to class.

Note: Students who forge parent signatures or impersonate their parent or guardian over a phone call or voicemail will be subject to disciplinary actions by the administration.

We thank you for your support with these attendance procedures & policies.

Attendance

The absence of a student from school has a twofold effect upon the educational process. The absence not only removes the student from the classroom setting, but also impacts the District’s ability to provide quality instruction. It is recognized that most absences are unavoidable and that most students' make-up work is missed. However, it must be noted that substitute activities and assignments cannot replace the dynamics of the classroom.

In the event of an absence a family may lessen the impact of the absence by following these guidelines:

Secure assignments from a teacher’s website, Microsoft TEAMS, Aeries.net portal, or voice mail (if applicable) for 1 or 2 day absences. If the assignments are not available by one of these methods, students should contact a classmate.
Request assignments from the school when the student is unexpectedly absent for 3 or more days.
Arrange with the school to receive work in advance when planned absences are fewer than 5 days.
Request an Independent Study Contract from the designated school official when an anticipated absence extends to 3 days or longer.
Investigate the availability of home teaching in the event an illness extends beyond a four week period.

Families are encouraged to plan activities during holidays or vacations to ensure the best possible learning experience. However, if it becomes necessary for students to participate in family activities during school time, parents may assist in the recovery of funds by:

Having the student fulfill the Independent Study Contract.
Making a donation of approximately $50 for each day the student is absent.

Working together allows schools to provide the strongest possible educational opportunities. Parent cooperation is important to the success of all Palos Verdes Peninsula students.

Tardy Policy
It is very important for students to arrive to class before the bell rings. For habitual tardiness, the student will be referred to the Student Attendance Review Board (SARB). Habitual tardiness becomes an attendance problem subject to disciplinary action. A student will be marked tardy if he/she arrives to class up to 10 minutes after the bell rings without appropriate permission from the office.

Tardy Consequences

# of tardies (cumulative across all classes)	Action Taken
5	Warning – Letter sent home. Letter #1 in Aeries
10	Parent/Guardian notified. Student issued Detention. Letter #2 in Aeries
15	Attendance administration conferences with student and notifies Parent/Guardian. Student issued Detention. Letter #3 in Aeries
20	Attendance administration conferences with student and notifies Parent/Guardian. Saturday School issued. Tardy contract signed and implemented. Student may lose school privileges.
30	Attendance administration conferences with student and notifies parent/guardian. Saturday School issued and possible SARB referral. Student may lose privileges.

Cut / Truancy Policy

Cutting a class, whether a single period or full-day, is considered an unexcused absence. Habitual cutting or truancy is grounds for Saturday School. NO MAKE-UP WORK IS PERMITTED FOR STUDENTS WHEN THEY CUT CLASS.

Cut - If a student is more than 10 minutes late to a class without appropriate permission from the office.

Truancy – If a student misses 3 or more periods in a school day or is over 30 minutes late without appropriate permission or prior clearance from the Attendance Office.

Number of Cuts / Truancies (cumulative across all classes)	Action Taken
3	Warning - letter sent home from Attendance Office.
5	Letter #1 in SART process, Saturday School, Parent notified from Attendance administration office.
10	Letter #2 in SART process, Saturday School, Parent notified from Attendance administration office.
15	SART Meeting and SART contract.
20	SART Contract Reviewed and SARB process followed. Possible SARB Hearing.
25	SARB process followed and possible Alternative Education Referral

Off Campus Policy
PVPHS is a CLOSED campus. Students may not leave campus at any time without permission and must sign out through the Attendance Office or Health Office.

Students who are in SCROC must carry their SCROC ID. They may leave campus at the end of 4th period after they show their ID to security at the gate.
Seniors (12th grade) may leave at lunch if they have their student ID with an appropriate off campus pass. They must show the ID to security at the gate. Seniors who do not have a 5th or 6th period should get an off campus pass.
Juniors (11th grade), Sophomores (10th grade), and Freshmen (9th grade) MAY NOT LEAVE CAMPUS AT LUNCH.
- If you do not have a 5th or 6th period, you must obtain an off campus pass from the Attendance Office and leave after lunch.
- If you have a 5th period, but no 6th period, you must obtain an off campus pass from the Attendance Office.
- If you have a 6th period, but no 5th period, you must stay on campus. You should stay in the covered lunch area, not in the PE or amphitheater area.
Students who have special circumstances or who are involved in athletics must clear with the Attendance Office.

Make-up Policy

Students are allowed to make up work for any absence (with the exception of a cut or truancy) without penalty. The responsibility will be left up to the student to communicate with the teacher. Arrangements for make-up work by students being released from class to participate in field trips or other school sponsored activities must be made in advance with that teacher.