Attendance

Under California education law, the only legally excusable absences are illness, medical or dental appointments, funerals, religious observance, and quarantine. All other absences will be recorded as unexcused unless documentation is provided.

If a parent forgets to call or follow up, the absence will remain unexcused — and unfortunately, it is the student who may face the consequences when activity eligibility is affected. We want to help you avoid that situation, which is why we encourage families to reach out early and often.

Being on time is a sign of respect — for your teachers, your classmates, and yourself. Students are expected to be seated and ready when the tardy bell rings. If you arrive late, stop by the office for a pass before heading to class.

Students are considered tardy up to 30 minutes late. After 30 minutes, the absence is recorded for that period.

Consequences for tardies accumulate within the week as follows: three or more tardies result in lunch detention, and five or more tardies result in after-school detention. Additional tardies during the same week will also result in after-school detention.

Participation in after-school athletics and school activities is a privilege — and attendance is a requirement. Here's what students need to know:

Students must attend school on the day of any activity or athletic event, or on the day prior if the event falls on a non-school day. On regular school days, students may miss up to two periods and still participate, provided those absences are verified by a doctor or dentist. On shortened Thursday collaboration days, only one period may be missed with the same verification requirement. On minimum days, students must attend the entire day to be eligible to participate.

For School Functions

If your student needs to miss class for an extracurricular school activity, a pre-arranged absence form — signed by both parents and teachers — must be submitted to the attendance office by 3:00 p.m. the day before the activity. Teachers and coaches will provide these forms. If two or more teachers deny the request, the student will not be able to participate in the activity.

For Non-School Events

If your student will be absent for five or more consecutive days for a non-school reason, you may be eligible for a Short-Term Independent Study Contract. Please contact our school counselor at least one week in advance to make arrangements.

It is the student's responsibility to follow up with each teacher immediately upon returning from an absence. Every teacher has their own make-up work policy, so check in early to stay on track.