Modoc ATTENDANCE

The California State Compulsory Attendance Law (EC 48200) requires that each person between the ages of six (6) and eighteen (18) are subject to compulsory full time attendance.

Click HERE for a list of excusable absences related to the California Education Code.

GENERAL PROCEDURES

1. Students are expected to attend school every day.  The only allowable absences are illnesses, medical appointments, subpoenas, funeral services for a member of the immediate family.  All other absences are non-allowable, according to state attendance regulations.
2. Students must obtain re-admit slips before 8:15am on the day of return from the Library or the Student Services Center (SSC).  Students who obtain re-admit slips after 8:15am are subject to the unexcused tardy policies.
3. Students returning to school after an absence (allowable and/or non-allowable) must have verification from a parent or guardian in the form of a note or phone contact.  The note should contain:
1. Date
2. Student’s name
3. Reason(s) for the absence
4. Date(s) of the absence
5. Parent/Guardian signature
   

Report an Absence to MHS

It is the responsibility of the student to obtain verification from his/her parent or guardian.

1. Students arriving late to school MUST check in through the Library or the SSC.  Students riding on a late bus are to obtain a late bus pass from the Library or the SSC.  The librarian or the SSC secretary will determine if the tardy is allowable, non-allowable, or a truancy/cut.

ILLNESS AT SCHOOL

If a student becomes ill after arriving at school and cannot continue in class, the student should get a hall pass from his/her teacher to go to the SSC.  Parents/guardians will be contacted to authorize the student to leave school and to provide transportation home or to the doctor.  STUDENTS ARE NOT TO LEAVE CAMPUS WITHOUT PERMISSION.  THESE ABSENCES WILL BE DEEMED A CUT.

SEMESTER ATTENDANCE POLICY

This policy is intended to:

• Encourage students to be in school
• Encourage students to make up missed assignments
• Keep parents informed of potential problems
• Reduce the number of failing grades due to absences
• Make students accountable for their worn attendance
• Provide a transitional experience for students before they enter the “working world”

 

The policy: A student must have 90% attendance, or less than 9 absences, in each course to receive credit for the semester. Students who are attending school activities (such as athletic contests, drama or music performances, field trips, etc.), who are on short-term independent study, or who are on a home health plan due to extensive illness/injury are excluded from this policy.
Reglamentos en Español

An appeal process is in place for students with excused absences who feel their ninth or any subsequent absence is necessary and unavoidable. Modoc High School Attendance Appeal forms are available in the SSC. Students must submit this form to the Assistant Principal within the semester in which the 9th or subsequent absence occurred. Teachers will be contacted individually, and credit for a course will be decided by the teacher of that course and an administrator.

Number of Absences	Credits Lost	Credits Earned
0-8	None	5
9 or more days	5	0

MAKE-UP WORK FOR EXCUSED ABSENCES

It is the student’s responsibility to make up all assignments and exams missed during the period of absence.  It is the student’s responsibility to make contact with the teacher to obtain the assignments and any necessary materials on the day he/she returns to school.  Students have one (1) day in which to complete make-up work for every day missed.  For example:  If a student is absent for two (2) school days, assignments are due, completed, on the 3rd day back in school.

A Student who is going to be out for one (1) to five (5) days may request homework assignments.  However, students are encouraged to wait until they return if they are too ill to complete the work.  If it becomes apparent that a student will be absent from school for five (5) to fifteen (15) days, parents should request make-up and homework assignments.  Please allow 24 hours (at least one full school day) for teachers to prepare materials needed to honor these requests.  If a student receives an assignment he/she does not understand, it is the student’s responsibility to contact the teacher to receive clarification, so that the assignment may be completed.  All assignments requested during absence are due upon the day of return.  No make-up days will be allowed.  Please do not request work if it will not be completed during absence.

Parents of students who are, or will be, absent longer than fifteen (15) days should contact the SSC for additional help and information.  Services such as Home Hospital teachers may be available.  Maximum extension time for any kind of make-up work is two (2) weeks.

SHORT-TERM INDEPENDENT STUDY

If a student will be gone for five (5) to ten (10) days for personal reasons, a student may request a short-term independent study form (blue sheet).  Independent Study should be requested at least 24 hours for each day missed, in advance of the date of leaving.  For example:  If the student will be gone for five (5) days, the blue sheet should be requested five (5) days prior to leaving.  Putting together a week’s worth of work is a time consuming project for very busy teachers with a full schedule.  Please do your best to honor this request.  Parents will be expected to sign the blue sheet contract before the first day of absence.  Students will take around a yellow assignment sheet for teachers to fill out with the work that will need to be completed during the absence.  The yellow sheet will be copied by the SSC secretary prior to the first day of absence.  Upon return, all work should be turned in to the teachers assigning it.  Short-Term Independent Study can only be ten (10) days long.

ADVANCED ASSIGNMENTS FOR ACTIVITIES

Students who will be absent for school activities, personal reasons, doctor appointments and out-of-town absences may request an Advanced Assignments for Activities (AAA) form.  It is the student’s responsibility to request this form and to take it around to teachers for assignments.  Students who request a AAA form must turn completed work in on the day of return.

MAKE-UP WORK FOR NON-ALLOWABLE ABSENCES

 Students who miss school work because of NON-ALLOWABLE absences shall be given the opportunity to make up missed work for full or reduced credit not to exceed one letter grade.  Work missed due to truancy absences CANNOT be made up.

MAKE-UP WORK FOR SCHOOL ACTIVITY ABSENCES

Students who miss school while on a school activity (band, drama, FFA, field trip, sports, etc.) are held accountable to this Modoc High School make-up policy, unless prior arrangements (a AAA form) are made with the teacher.  It is the student’s responsibility to secure his/her assignments and complete them by the due date.  Missed tests are to be made up on the day of return.

OFF-CAMPUS PASS

Students who must leave school during the day must obtain an off-campus pass PRIOR TO leaving campus.  Passes should only be requested for emergencies, illness, or medical appointments.  Passes will only be issued when accompanied by a written, telephone, or personal request by the parent or guardian.  Students who leave campus without a pass will be considered truant, regardless of parent note after the absence.

OPEN CAMPUS POLICY

STUDENTS MAY LEAVE CAMPUS AT LUNCH ONLY, NOT AT BREAK OR BETWEEN CLASSES.

UNEXCUSED TARDIES

A student will receive an unexcused  tardy to class if he/she is not at his/her assigned station and ready to work with appropriate materials BEFORE the tardy bell rings.  Tardies reset at the end of each quarter.

Consequences:

• 1st tardy in a particular class:   Warning
• 2nd tardy in a particular class: Parent contact by teacher and lunch detention
• 3rd tardy in a particular class:  Parent contact by teacher and lunch detention
• 4th tardy in a particular class:   "U" in citizenship and parent contact by teacher
• 5th  tardy in a particular class:  Parent contact by Assistant Principal (AP) and a warning that the student must serve an after-school detention for each tardy over five
• 6th total tardy across classes:  After-school detention for this and each new tardy until the attendance period resets at the end of the quarter.
• 10th total tardy across classes:  School Board notified by AP. At any time after tardy #10, the student and the parents/guardians may be summoned to appear before the SARB.        

TRUANCY

State law (EC 48260) defines truancy as being 30 minutes or more late to class without a valid excuse and/or being absent from school without a valid excuse on three (3) occasions during the school year (per period).  A student who is truant from school will have his/her parents contacted, serve detention for each period missed, Saturday School for each day missed, and may be referred to the county SARB (School Attendance Review Board) for further action.