Attendance There is a direct correlation between a student's attendance pattern and success in school. A student that has a 90% or better attendance rate usually does very well in school. California Education Code (48205 (a)) states that only the following absences are excused: Illness Quarantine Medical/dental appointments: verification of appointment (from doctor's office) is required upon return to school Other justifiable absence: court, funeral service, and religious service or employment conference. (These must be requested in writing by a parent prior to the day of absence.) Students who have been absent under the above guidelines shall be allowed to complete all assignments and tests missed during the absence within a reasonable amount of time. Tests and assignments shall be reasonably equivalent to, but not necessarily identical to the tests and assignments that the pupil missed during the absence. (Ed. Code 48205 (b)) Cloverdale High School students can lose credit(s) if they are absent due to the following reasons (unexcused absences): Suspensions School Cuts Unverified absences (not cleared within three days will automatically be changed to a cut) Family vacations and absences due to personal reasons cannot be considered excused absences. Number of Unexcused Absences Credits Lost 4-8 1 9-12 2 13-15 3 16 or more 5 Any student who is late to class (after five minutes), must report to the office for a readmit slip. A full period absence will be recorded for a student who is 30 minutes (or more) late to class. If the readmit is "unexcused" then a 30-minute detention will be served on the following day. Credit Appeals: Parents and students can appeal the loss of credit(s) in a class by completing the Credit Appeals Form in the office. The form must be completed within 10 days of receipt of the report card, at the end of the semester. If a Student is Absent: On the morning of the absence, the parent or guardian is requested to contact the Attendance Secretary by telephone (894-1900 ext. 11) or in person, to verify the reason for the absence. If a contact cannot be made on the day of the absence, the student must give a written note from the parent or guardian to the Attendance Secretary on the day the student returns to school. The note must include 1) the name of the student 2) the date(s) of the absence 3) reason for the absence, and 4) signature of the parent or guardian. Absences must be cleared within 3 days following the student's return to school, or the absence will be recorded as a cut, and school discipline will be assigned to the student. READMITS: A student who has been absent from a class must obtain a readmit from the Attendance Office before they will be readmitted to that class. A readmit does not clear or excuse an absence; it simply states the reason for the absence, and begins the attendance counting process. If a student returns from an absence without a valid note, the absence is recorded as a cut until a valid note has been submitted to the Attendance Office. Students should plan to arrive at school early on the day following an absence. This allows the time needed to obtain a readmit before morning classes begin. If a student should have to leave class to obtain a readmit, a tardy will be recorded, and the student will be assigned detention. To avoid disciplinary action, student should obtain their readmits before school, or during break, tutorial, or lunch periods. Consequences of an Unverified Absence or Class Cut Students may be assigned detention, Saturday School, suspension, and other school discipline, including School Probation. While on School Probation, a student's extracurricular activities (such as athletics, drama, music, cheerleading, etc.) may be suspended. Additional unverified absences or cuts will result in loss of credit for each class cut. If a Student Must Leave: If a student must leave campus at any time other than lunch, he/she must obtain an Off-Campus Pass from the Attendance Office. An Off-Campus Pass (Pink Slip) must be obtained before leaving campus for any reason. An after-the-fact parent excuse cannot be accepted. Students will be assigned detention or other school discipline if they fail to follow this policy. Cloverdale High School is a closed campus. NEW TARDY POLICY: The philosophy behind the tardy policy is as follows: The opening instructions and discussion set the tone for the class. These instructions prepare students for the learning activities, and help them understand what they are expected to accomplish. The disruption caused by students arriving late to class adversely impacts the learning process for the remaining students. Promptness prepares young adults to be competent workers; as employees, they will be expected to arrive on time. Class participation is an important part of the student's grade. Definitions: Tardy: A student is considered tardy when he/she is not in the classroom prepared to work when the tardy bell rings. Excused Tardy: Same justification reasons for excused absences as stated in the California Education Code (48205 (a). Unexcused Tardy: Arriving to school late due to oversleeping or not leaving home early enough to get to school; spending excess time "hanging out" with friends between classes; not prepared for class and must retrieve materials from locker; or student did not get readmit to enter class after being absent. Policy: Three unexcused tardies, in any one class, will result in the loss of one-third of the letter grade for each semester; each subsequent unexcused tardy results in an additional reduction of one-third of a student's letter grade. EXAMPLE:   Grade Tardies Adjusted Grade Jane Doe A 3 A- John Smith C+ 5 D+ Appeal Process: Parents/students may appeal, in writing, and unexcused tardy with 5 days of receiving the tardy Student Attendance Review Board (SARB): Truancy referrals will be made to SARB by school authorities. A student is considered truant who is absent from school without a valid excuse for more than three days. Return to the Cloverdale Unified School District Website © 2004-2007 - All Rights Reserved Cloverdale High School 509 N. Cloverdale Blvd. | Cloverdale, CA 95425 | Home | School Information | State Standards | Calendar | |Faculty | Library | Student Pages | Site Map |