Skip To Main Content

Attendance

School Attendance Review Board 
The District School Attendance Review Board (SARB) attempts to understand why students experience attendance problems and makes every effort to assist in correcting the problem(s).  

Chronically Absent Students
SMUHSD contracts with EveryDay Labs to help provide proven interventions to reduce chronic absenteeism by 10–15% districtwide through proactive, personalized outreach paired with inbound support for families in their home language. The unique approach requires no change in school-level practices. Intervention is rigorous in its evidence basis, research, and design—but thoughtful and supportive in its delivery. We monitor attendance data and target our families. When students become at risk of learning loss,  supportive nudges are sent by text and mail that provide access to support. The personalized, consistent outreach, in families' home language, district-wide has proven to help improve attendance of students.

PHS Attendance and Tardy Policy
It is the student's responsibility to make sure that a parent or guardian notified the attendance office on each day of absence by filling out the online absence reporting form on the school website home page. Anytime a student is marked absent parents/ guardians will be contacted via our Auto Dialer system and notified that their student is currently marked absent.

Students AND Parents have 48 hours to clear an absence; otherwise it will be recorded as a truancy (cut/unexcused absence). NO EXCEPTIONS. Check CANVAS for daily updates on student attendance and corrections can be made to the student attendance if a valid reason/note is provided to the Attendance office within the 48 hours time frame. 

Attendance in Relation to Academics
Regular school attendance is a necessary part of the learning process and the means to graduation with a good education. Part of a student’s success is based on the need and requirement of the students to receive direct instruction. Regular attendance is essential for success in school. Student’s attendance will affect the grade that a student will receive in their classes.

No student will be sent home before the close of the school day unless the parent/guardian has been previously notified and/or provided prior confirmation to the school. If a student leaves campus without permission, the student will automatically be assigned to the following:

  • 1st Offense: 3 days of lunch community service, failure to complete CS may result in an In-House Suspension
  • 2nd Offense: Alternative to Suspension and mandatory parent meeting, failure to complete ATS will result into a 1-2 day suspension and wellness counselor referral
  • 3rd Offense: In-house suspension and Site based contract, failure to complete IH will result in a 1-2 day suspension and Formal Reprimand Contract (FRC).
  • 4th Offense: Review of FRC and potential recommendation of change of placement.

Period cuts will NOT be cleared after-the-fact. No student may participate in any school activity or athletic contest if he/she has been truant from school during any portion of that day. Students who forge an excuse note or impersonate a parent or guardian to be excused from school will receive unexcused absences for the periods in question as well as a disciplinary consequence including suspension.

NOTE: The only legal absences from school which are recognized by the State of California are (1) illness or quarantine (2) medical, dental, optometric appointments, and (3) death in the immediate family. Appointments which interfere with class time should not be made except in genuine emergencies. Absences for other reasons are considered illegal and the school reserves the right to decide whether such absences shall be subject to disciplinary action.

Eligibility Requirements for “2.5” AND “5” Credits Per Course
Any student that has attendance below 77% or more than “7” unexcused absences per class per six weeks in a trimester, regardless of their current “letter grade” will no longer be eligible for 2.5 credits for the first part or second part of the course. If a student is above 77% in attendance for the entire twelve weeks in any individual class, the student is eligible for 5 credits per course.  For a student to be given an exemption, and remain eligible for 5 or 2.5 credits should they fail to meet the criteria, these decisions would be made by the course teacher AND need the principal’s approval.  

Extracurriculars and Athletic Participation
The following TRUANCY, TARDY and REFERRAL policies will be enforced for all students by administrators, and all school personnel:

After accumulating 15 total periods of cuts or 8 tardies in a given 6-week grading period, or 3 office referrals: students will lose the privilege of participating in any (non-class related) school function (including athletics, dances, school plays, etc.) for the following six week grading period should schools be allowed to resume these activities in the 2022-23 school year. 

NOTE: Teachers or school administration may choose to enforce additional consequences as deemed necessary.