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Attendance / Health Office » Attendance Policies

Attendance Policies

Students attending Bishop Alemany are subject to the State Laws on Compulsory Full Time Education. The school is obliged to enforce these laws. Parents are likewise obliged by California State Laws to ensure that their student attends school when it is in session.

 

Absence Procedures:

 

Parents must notify the Attendance Office at (818) 837-5202 or [email protected] before 8:00 a.m. if a student will be absent.

  • It is strongly recommended that medical or dental appointments be scheduled when school is not in session.
  • When the student returns to school after an absence, he or she must turn in a written note signed by the parent or guardian explaining the reason for absence to the Main Office. If the nature of the absence is due to a below excused reason, please provide official documentation.

 

Absences:

 

Absence is defined as non-attendance in classes when school is in session. Parents do not have the right to excuse their student from attending except for the below reasons.

 

EXCUSED ABSENCES: The following reasons constitute an excused absence from school – official documentation required.  

  • Valid illness with medical verification/documentation. Medical verification may also be required for an absence of more than three (3) consecutive days or if a student has accumulated excessive absences throughout the academic term
  • Attendance at funeral services or bereavement for the immediate family
  • Court summons
  • Quarantine directed by a County or City Health Official
  • An emergency or special set of circumstances judged as sufficient cause by school authorities (administration and/or dean). The principal should be notified of the circumstances immediately

UNEXCUSED ABSENCES: All other absences taken with permission of the parents, but not permission of the school. This includes illness (without doctor documentation), family vacations, trips, etc. Such absence counts towards excessive absence.

  • Truancy: Absence from school with neither school nor parental knowledge and/or consent. See Truancy Policy. 
  • Excessive Absence: A student who misses more than eight class periods in a semester, for a particular course, is considered excessively absent. This student is in danger of losing academic credit for the course(s) in which the absences occurred. Parents and students will be notified in writing after the student reaches the eighth absence to any course(s).
  • Special Circumstances: The Counseling Office is to be notified in regard to serious illness or accidents so that appropriate arrangements can be made.
  • Students who fail to bring a written excuse will be sent to the Dean’s Office.
  • If a note has been forged or falsified the student will be reported to the appropriate Dean who will assess the proper consequence up to and including dismissal if it is a case of truancy.
  • Any student who misses more than two (2) periods on a regular day will be counted absent for the day.
  • Any student who misses more than one (1) period on a block day will be counted absent for the day.
  • Participation in school activities and athletics: Students who wish to participate in any school activity of any kind on a particular day must be in school at least 4 full periods (or 2 full block schedule periods). If the game or activity is on a Saturday or Sunday, this obligation must be fulfilled on the previous Friday.

 

Tardiness and Classroom Policies:

 

Tardiness is defined as arriving in any class within the first 20 minutes after the bell for the start of class has rung.

  • Tardiness to any class is a school infraction. It may be excused only when it is the result of a counseling or other appointment with a school official.
  • A student who is tardy multiple times to class must attend detention. There are no exceptions allowed to detention attendance, including but not limited to athletics, clubs or medical appointments.
  • Students who are more than 20 minutes tardy to the first class of the day must go to the Main Office to obtain a Re-Admit Slip before attending their first class.

 Off-Campus Pass:

 

Permission to leave school before the time of dismissal requires a written request with a daytime phone number from the parent or guardian be presented to the Main Office before the first period of the day. The request must state the reason and specifically indicate if the student is driving oneself off campus. The office will then verify the note and issue an Off-Campus Pass.

  • For the safety and well-being of the student when issued an Off-Campus Pass, (i.e., doctor/dentist appointment, family business, sent home because of illness, etc.) the student must report to the Main Office for processing.
  • The student will be released ONLY after the parent/guardian has presented proper picture identification.
  • In cases which a written explanation of a foreseen absence has been received by the school and the student has been issued an Off-Campus Pass in advance, the student must report to the Main Office upon return to obtain a Re-Admit Slip before returning to class.

Illness During the School Day:

 

Students who become ill during the day outside of class must report to the Main Office immediately.

  • During class time, students must obtain written teacher permission to report to the Main Office.
  • A student may never independently call the parents and tell them to come and pick her or him up during the school day.
  • If the student should leave school without the necessary written permission (Off-Campus Pass), the student is liable to school discipline.