Attendance Information
24-HOUR ATTENDANCE LINE at 971-7522
Attendance Office 971-7500: between 7:00 a.m. and 3:30 p.m.
Reporting an absence
Regular, punctual attendance is required; attendance is the responsibility of both the parent and the student. ALL ABSENCES MUST BE CLEARED BY A NOTE OR PHONE CALL FROM THE PARENT OR GUARDIAN WITHIN 10 SCHOOL DAYS. Parents will be notified via the AUTOMATED PHONE CALLING SYSTEM whenever a student is reported absent the previous day from ONE OR MORE classes. If you are aware of the absence, please send student with a note or call the 24-HOUR ATTENDANCE LINE at 971-7522. The recorder has clear instructions regarding what information is needed. Parents may use the recorder any time of day.
Please Note: Any student who attempts to clear his/her own absence or to assist another student in such an attempt will be reported to the Administration for falsification and willful disobedience and face disciplinary action.
If you are NOT aware of the absence, please call the Attendance Office at 971-7500 between 7:00 a.m. and 3:30 p.m., and speak with one of the Attendance Secretaries. Absences which are not cleared within 10 school days automatically become truancies.
Re-entering school after an absence
Students arriving late during the day should go directly to the Attendance Office with a note from a parent, doctor, dentist, etc. If the student does not have a note from one of the above, the parent should call 971-7522 first thing in the morning and leave the following information: the student’s name (please spell completely), the student’s grade, the caller’s relationship to the student, the date of the student’s absence, the reason for the absence, the approximate time of arrival if coming later in the day, and a contact number if the Attendance Office has any questions or needs clarification.
Excused Absences
In accordance with CA Education Code, the following absences are considered excused:
- Quarantine under the direction of a county or city health officer.
- Medical, dental, optometry, or chiropractic services rendered. (Rio requests parents make these appointments for non-school hours whenever possible).
- Funeral – One day for funeral services within California; three days for services out of state. For services for immediate family members only: parent, step-parent, grandparent, sibling (including step-sibling), and any relative residing in the house
- Observance of a holiday or ceremony of pupil’s religion.
NOTE: When the student and/or family have advance notice of an absence(s), the Attendance Office should be contacted in advance to inform them of the absence. It is the responsibility of the student to make arrangements with their teachers for make-up assignments and, if possible, to complete the assignments prior to the absence.
Truancy
Any absence from school for one or more periods, or a partial period, without consent of parent(s) or guardian and without prior permission from school, is a truancy. A truancy is recorded as a “C” on the student’s attendance record. A student tardy to any period in excess of 15 minutes will also be considered truant and must be cleared from the Attendance Office. Students should check the individual attendance profile handed out during 2nd period every Wednesday. If a student notices an error, they should immediately get a correction form from the Attendance Office and have the teacher correct the error and then turn the form in to the Attendance Office.
- Seniors who accumulate 36 or more periods of truancy during the school year will not be allowed to participate in the graduation ceremony. Seniors enrolled after the 1st semester and mid-year graduates will not participate in the graduation ceremony if they accumulate 18 or more periods of truancy.
Consequences for Truancies:
Student receives 1 to 17 C's:
- Conference with Vice-Principal
- 1 or more detentions assigned
Student receives 18 to 29 C's:
- 1 st attendance letter sent
- Conference with counselor & VP
- 1 Saturday School assigned
Student receives 30 to 35 C's:
- 2 nd attendance letter sent
- Conference with VP, student & parent
- Attendance Contract signed
- 2 Saturday Schools assigned
- Work permit revoked
Student receives 36 or more C's:
- 3 rd attendance letter sent
- SARB referral submitted*
- 3 Saturday Schools assigned
- Parent contacted
*Students referred to the district for a SARB hearing will be subject to an involuntary transfer to continuation school. Seniors on track to graduate will not be transferred but will be barred from participating in the graduation ceremony.
Early Dismissal
Any student leaving school before the end of the instructional day must have an authorized early dismissal slip in advance from the Attendance Office. The slip must include the student’s signature. If a student needs to leave campus, he/she must arrive with a note from a parent and make arrangements prior to 8:00 am, at break or at lunch. Early dismissals will not be given during class time. A student may not use office phones for early dismissals other than for illness. A student who needs to leave campus and does not have a signed and stamped early dismissal will be referred to the administration for disciplinary action. A student who leaves school without an early dismissal is truant and in violation of closed campus policy which is a suspendable offense. After the fact parent permission is not legally permissible. It is unlawful for anyone to take a student from school during the school day without permission.
Tardy Policy
Students are expected to be in the classroom and ready for instruction when the final bell rings. Students arriving late are required to sign the teacher’s “Tardy Sign-in Sheet” to confirm their presence.
- Excused Tardy - A student arrives with a pass from a staff member. (Student not penalized.) No notation in records.
- Unexcused Tardy - a student who is not present in the classroom when class is scheduled to begin.
- Absent - A student entering class after 15 minutes is considered absent and must have their parent/guardian clear the absence with the Attendance Office.
Unexcused Tardy: Consequences
Each teacher will have a class tardy policy that includes detentions and referrals for excessive tardies. Beginning with either the first or second tardy (depending on the teacher’s policy), the teacher will assign detentions for each successive tardy up to and including the fifth tardy. For the sixth tardy and on, the teacher will refer the student to the Administration for excessive tardies to class. Such referrals will result in a Saturday School or on-site suspension and may lead to multiple days of home suspension.
