Attendance
Attendance
Regular attendance is an important component of your child’s success in school. Parents hold a legal responsibility to compel their children to attend school regularly. Failure to do so may result in severe consequences with the law. We are here to support you and your child in any way possible.
It’s your responsibility, and it’s the law.
Students are expected to make-up any work or tests missed during their absence. The student’s teacher will decide the scope and time frame of the make-up work.
Absences
The State of California excuses a student’s absence from school only for:
- Illness or quarantine
- Medical or dental services
- Bereavement for an immediate family member (one day within the state and not more than three days outside the state)
- Religious holiday
- Court appearance
Unexcused absences are defined as anything other than the reasons listed above. Oversleeping, missed ride to school, care for others in the family, shopping, car/transportation problems, vacation, visiting friends or relatives, lack of clean clothes, etc. are some examples of absences that are declared as “unexcused” by the State of California.
Students who accumulate three or more “unexcused” absences in the school year are deemed truant and will be reported to the Attendance Supervisor of the district. Students who do not attend school regularly, are absent from school without permission, leave campus illegally, or are tardy without an acceptable excuse are subject to disciplinary action. Such action may include, but is not limited to:
- Attendance contracts
- Parent-Principal conference
- Parents required to attend school for one full day, pursuant to the California Education Code.
- If the student is on an intra or inter district transfer, the transfer may be revoked.
- Referral to the Site Attendance Review Team (SART) and/or Student Attendance Review Board (SARB)
- Referral to the District Attorney if attendance problems persist.
Absence Procedures
Call the office before 8:30 a.m. to report absences at (714) 529-2520. If a child is absent from school, it is imperative that a parent/guardian report the reason for the absence.
Tardy Procedures
School starts at 8:00 a.m. Any student who arrives after the bell rings will be marked tardy. Late arrival denies the student the opportunity to become mentally and physically prepared for the important task of learning. Tardies also interrupt the learning of other students. If you drop your children off at school, please remember that the parking lot and alley can be crowded. Patience is necessary. To avoid stress, arrive 10 minutes before school starts to avoid arriving right at 8:00 a.m. Arriving on time is a part of responsible behavior that is expected of both children and adults. Please model for your child the importance of punctuality by making it a priority.
NOTE: Please remember that students should not be on the playgrounds before 7:45 am. There is no supervision on the yard for our students until 7:45 a.m. Breakfast service begins at 7:45 am in the cafeteria. Please plan accordingly and know that BOUSD Child Care on campus can be utilized by the hour, if needed.
Truancy
Students who do not attend school or who arrive to school 30 minutes late without a valid excuse are deemed “truant” by the State of California. Students who are truant three or more times will be subject to consequences, which include parent conference, placement on an attendance contract, and referral to SARB along with a mandatory meeting with the District Attorney.
Early Withdrawal
Students are able to leave school early only with an adult that is listed on the student’s contact list in the Aeries Parent Portal. It is important that the school be notified of any changes on the emergency card. Your child will not be released to an adult that is not listed on the contact list in the Aeries Parent Portal. A parent will need to come to the school office to sign the student out for the day. If the parent cannot pick up the student, they will need to notify the office of who will be picking up their child and at what time. The student will be called out of class when the parent or authorized adult comes to the office. A valid ID will be required in order to withdraw a student early.
Closed Campus Policy
To ensure the safety of students, staff, and visitors all visitors must sign-in immediately in the office upon entering any school building or grounds when school is in session. Visitors must bring a valid I.D. and check in via the Raptor Security System. This system checks identification against the Megan’s Law Sex Offender Registry List. All BOUSD schools have implemented this security procedure to ensure that all adults are approved to be on campus.
A sign shall be posted at the entrance to each campus, notifying visitors of the need to register. The procedure shall be provided for the removal of visitors who pose a threat to the health and safety of students and staff or those who interfere with the instructional program. Anyone who is directed by the principal or designee to leave the school grounds must promptly depart and shall not return for at least 48 hours (cf. 1112 – Media Relations) (cf. 3515.2 – Disruptions).