Our school provides this information to keep you best informed regarding the requirements pertaining to attendance and the federal law "No Child Left Behind" (NCLB). The following will hopefully aid in your understanding the requirements under this law.
ATTENDANCE: ABSENCES, TARDIES, TRUANTS, INDEPENDENT STUDIES
We have included information regarding absences, tardies, truants and Independent Studies. The following information isdistributed at the start of the school year and posted on our Websiteunder "Attendance Procedures" for easy referencing. State law requires attendance at school. Illness or medical appointments are the only legally excused absences.
If your child is absent or going to be absent, please call the school at 736-3336. Our voicemail is available after hours to help you call in your child's absences at your convenience. Your call saves our clerk calling you.
FEDERAL LAW "NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND" AND TRUANTS
Students going out of town or on vacation are to be marked as truant under the "No Child LeftBehind" federal law. Parents are strongly encouraged torequest from the officeand have their child do the assignmentsgiven under anIndependent Study. This is the only means of not having your child marked as a truant. No vacations should be scheduled duringCalifornia's STAR Testing period. (Independent Studies are only available for periods of 5 to 10 days.)
Requests for an Independent Study must be made at least five (5) school days prior to the child leaving. Credit for the missed school days is only permissible after assigned work has been turned in by the deadline.
A truant indicates a violation of the laws requiring children be at school every day their track is in session. Our school district is required under NCLB to monitor student attendance, notify parents of excessive absences, tardies, and truants, and to follow prescribed procedures (School Attendance Review Team, School Attendance Review Board, referral to Riverside District Attorney's office) regarding attendance.
Tardies
Students are to arrive on time and remain in school for the duration of the school day. A child arriving late is tardy unless more than 30 minutes where it is recorded as truancy. Our school is mandated to send letters at threshold points regarding tardies.
Parents of tardy students need to say good-bye to their child at the office, as instructional time has begun in the classrooms. Parents desiring to walk their children to class may do so prior to the start of school.
NEW DISTRICT POLICY:The Corona-Norco Unified School District now requires a doctor's note for any absence after the 14thabsence during a school year. Therefore, if a student has been absent for 14 days is in school and then absent for two days, a doctor's note is required for the two days not be marked truant. If that same child is then absent for another day one month later, another doctor's note is required so that the child is not marked truant. Please call the school office should you have questions about this new District policy. Thank you.
Absences Illness (Excused):A note or phone call to the office personnel reporting illness must be received from the parent within three days ofthe child returning to school to be coded an excused absence. If not cleared within three days, the child will be marked truant. A childabsent due to illness for five (5) or more days should have a doctor's note. Orally telling your child's teacher doesnotqualify.
Independent Study (Excused):If a child will miss school for 5 to 10 days and it is not due to illness, an Independent Study needs to be requested.The parent must requestthe Independent Study formfrom administration (not the teacher) at least one week prior to the child's first day of absence. This provides ample time to gather the necessary items, write up the assignments, and obtain necessary signatures. The child completes the assignments of the Independent Study and submits them within the stated timeframe. Credit for missed school days is based on: quality of work done on assignments, its completeness, and whether turned in on time. Vacations are not to be scheduled during the California State STAR Testing period.
Absence to Avoid Truancy:If a student is to be absent for reasons other than illnessfor fewer than five daysand to avoid being marked truant, theparent must inform the school in writing at least three days prior to the absence detailing the reason for absence. A parent or guardian must sign and date the written request. An administrator must then approve it.Approval will be considered only if the child is performing at a "C" or "S" level or better in all academic subjects and behavior. This option is available for up to a maximum four (4) consecutive school days. A child missing school without administrator approval will be marked truant. A child having received a notice regarding being a truant (3 or more days unexcused absence) is not eligible.
Truant:A student is marked truant whenthe parentdid not telephone office personnel or send a note within the three days of the child's returning to school; or, the child was absent for an unexcused reason and theparent did not give our school prior noticeof the child's absence; or, the child was absent five days or more consecutively without fulfilling the requirements of an Independent Study.A student is marked truant if the student goes to a medical/dental appointment unless the school office receives written notification confirming the medical/dental appointment by the student's parent. Additionally, absences where parent has not provided the school with justification within 72 hours for the absence are automatically marked truant. The District computer automatically creates letters to parents of student's meeting prescribed No Child Left Behind truancy thresholds.
EXCESSIVE ABSENCES AND/OR TARDIES
Our school and district continues to notify parents of excessive absences, tardies, and truants, and will follow prescribed procedures (School Attendance Review Team, School Attendance Review Board, referral to Riverside District Attorney's office) regarding attendance.
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