Attendance

Attendance

Attendance Office

To report an absence, please call: (619) 407-4802.

James Sosa

Attendance Coordinator
James.Sosa@sweetwaterschools.org


Miriam Espinoza
Attendance Technician
(619) 407-4802

How to Check Attendance?

Student Attendance can be monitored using Infinite Campus via Web or Mobile App.

  • A step-by-step guide to check attendance can be found HERE. 
  • Puede encontrar una guÍa paso a paso para verificar la asistencia AQUÍ.

Infinite Campus Portal(link)
If you forgot your password the application has the option to reset. “Forgot Password”
Click the “Attendance” tab on the left and then the “Day” tab in the middle.

iPhone APP (link)

Android APP (link)

If you forgot your password the application has the option to reset. “Forgot Password”
Make sure to check the “Stay Logged In” for notifications. Go to settings – “Enable” all notifications to know when you or your child is being marked absent or tardy.

How to Excuse an Absence? 

Only Parents or Guardians may excuse an absence.

  • Per district policy, you have (30) days to excuse an absence.   Absences cannot be excused after this time.
  • Whenever an absence occurs for medical reasons, please make sure to provide a doctor’s note within (30) days, as these absences are coded differently.

Procedures to Clear Attendance: 

  1. Leave a message on (619) 407-4802.
    Include the following: Students’ legal name, Date of absence, Reason for absence, Parent/Guardian Name, Phone number.
  2. Send a note or e-mail the attendance office Fernando.Chiadez@sweetwaterschools.org. the following information
    • Medical note from a US Facility or SIMNSA if the student had a doctors visit
    • Note with the following information: (see template)
      • Today’s Date
      • Student Legal Name
      • Student ID#
      • Date of Birth
      • Date of Absence
      • Reason:
      • Parent/Guardian Name:
      • Phone Number of File
      • IF HANDWRITTEN, the note must be signed by parent/guardian.
      • IF EMAILED, the e-mail address must be on file as the parent/guardian.

General Attendance Guidelines: SUHSD Administrative Regulation 5113

Students may be excused from school only for the following reasons:

  1. Personal Illness
  2. Quarantine by county or city health officer (NOTE: If you will be out for 5-15 days, please complete an Independent Study Contract)
  3. Need an appointment for medical, dental, optometric, or chiropractic services
  4. Participation in religious instruction or exercises in accordance with District Board Policy 6114 and Administrative Regulation 6114.2.1
  5. Attendance at funeral services for member of the immediate family. One (1) day if in California, three (3) days if out-of-state.

Upon written request of the parent/guardian/caregiver, a student’s absence may be excused for the following reasons:

  1. Appearance in court
  2. Observation of holiday as ceremony of his/her religion
  3. Employment interview or conference
  4. Other reasons requested in writing by the parent/guardian/caregiver and considered legitimate by the principal or his/her designee. Such absence shall have prior approval of the principal or his/her designee. A request may not be granted if such approval would be educationally harmful to the student or set a poor example in matters of school attendance for the student or other students. Extended vacations or vacations cannot be excused.

What if I am Going on Vacation?

Per Education Code, “Vacations” are not an excusable reason for an absence.  However, if you are going to be out for 5-15 days, contact the Attendance Technician (Currently being hired).

Short Term Independent Study Contracts (5-15 days)

If your student will be absent for 5-15 days due to any reason, they may qualify for a Short Term Independent Study Contract.

Parent(s)/guardian(s) must notify the Attendance Coordinator by calling (619) 407-4802 to submit an independent study Master Contract Agreement request 72 hours before the absence is scheduled to begin. This request must include the student’s full legal names, the dates the students will be out of school, parent/guardian signature, and the reason for the absence.

Students who are on an Independent Study Contract are expected to have all assigned work completed and ready to submit to the Attendance Technician upon return.

How to Clear Attendance? 

Unexcused absences and tardies may affect citizenship grades.  Please refer to teacher Syllabi.

NOTE: Full day absences (excused and unexcused)  will be cleared prior to single period absences or tardies.

Make Up Work from Absences  (SUHSD Reg. No. 5112.1B)

  • Teachers are responsible for providing students the opportunity to make up work missed during excused absences. They may, but are not required, to provide the opportunity to make up work missed because of truancy or suspension.
  • Students shall be permitted to complete all assignments and tests missed during excused absences, which can be reasonably provided and, upon satisfactory completion, shall be given full credit for their work.
  • The teacher shall determine what assignments, labs, alternate labs or assessments the student shall make up.
  • Tests and assignments shall be reasonably equivalent to, but not necessarily identical to, tests and assignments that the student missed during his/her absence.
  • Students must request assignments within two (2) days following return from absence.
  • Assignments must be completed within a period of time equal to the length of absence.
  • Any exceptions to the submission of make-up work are at the discretion of the teacher.

Effect of Absences on Grades:

  • If a student misses class without an excuse and does not subsequently turn in homework, take a test, or fulfill another class requirement which he/she missed, the teacher may lower the student’s grade for nonperformance. (cf. 6154 – Homework/Makeup Work)   BP 5121(b)

Attendance Protocols: 

In order to keep students in a supervised, safe and orderly environment, the Board of Trustees establishes a closed campus at all district schools. Students shall not leave the school grounds at any time during the school day without written permission of their parents/guardians and school authorities prior to leaving campus.

  • A student who leaves campus for any reason without prior authorization will be unexcused which cannot be cleared by the parent.  (Board Policy 5112.5)
  • No student will be released to anyone that is NOT listed as the guardian in Infinite Campus.

Off Campus Permits

Palomar HS is a closed campus and students may not leave campus without a signed off campus permit. Once a student’s classes for the day begin, the student must remain on campus until the end of the school day. Students are not to leave the immediate boundary (gates surrounding the buildings) of the campus without an off-campus permit from the Attendance Office or Nurse’s Office. This means students cannot leave campus to get food and return to classes. Saturday School will be assigned for students who violate this regulation. Students are prohibited from jumping over fences.

Here is how to obtain an off campus permit for routine appointments:

Method A

  1. Student drops off a signed note from parent or guardian at the attendance office first thing in the morning stating the reason, date and  time the student must leave. A student’s first and last name should be printed as well as a telephone number to verify notes if deemed necessary.
  2. The off campus pass will be sent to the student’s class prior to the time of departure.
  3. Student must sign out in main office when he/she leaves campus, even if the nurse sends student home.

Method B

  1. The parent/guardian on record can come in person to take their child from school for excused reasons and sign the permit. Students will only be released to parents/guardians who are authorized on file.  The main office must be notified immediately of any permanent or temporary changes.
  2. If a student is 18 years old, parent must  call the attendance office (619)407-4802 to authorize the off campus pass.  Student must then come to the attendance office to pick up pass prior to leaving.

Failure to get an off-campus pass will constitute an unexcused absence, and all provisions of the attendance policy will apply.  In emergency situations, students are required to come to the office and an administrator will call the parent or guardian for permission for the student to leave and establish with whom. 

Parents are advised not to bypass the school’s procedures: THIS IS FOR YOUR STUDENTS’ SAFETY. DO NOT TAKE YOUR STUDENT FROM CAMPUS WITHOUT AN OFF CAMPUS PERMIT.  No retroactive calls to excuse negative attendance codes will be accepted if procedures are not followed.

Emergency Authorization:

Please ensure that you have a valid phone number and current email on file in Infinite Campus.

Tardy Policy

The intent of this policy is to hold students accountable for being late to class because tardiness is disruptive to the educational process.  We also understand the reality of students and parents being late is at times unavoidable.  Continuing this year, citizenship grades criteria will include tardies and unexcused absences.

  1. Teachers will review their classroom tardy policy at the beginning of the semester via their class syllabus. (Also during Open House)
  2. Teachers may hold after school detention in their classrooms to make up tardies.
  3. Lates to school will not be excused for parent’s/guardian’s error.  Students will have to accept the consequences. It is the family’s responsibility to get the student to school on time and on a regular basis.
  4. Employment is not an acceptable excuse for missing teacher detentions or SPRP.
  5. If a student is receiving multiple teacher detentions from different teachers, this is a higher level problem and the Assistant Principals will intervene.
  6. Students who have 6 Lates (L) or more to Period 1, in a six week grading period, may be reassigned to a afternoon schedule.

Excessive Excused Absences:

According to the SUHSD policy Regulation code AR 5113 (D, E), it has been established that it is reasonable to be absent 1 day a month (equivalent to 7 days per semester or 14 days in a school year). Having more than 14 days of excused absences, may place your child under an “excessive excused absence contract”.

If a student is absent 14 or more excused days a semester or more than seven days in one semester, the following measure will/may apply:

  1. Contact by Attendance Coordinator
  2. Excessive Excused Absence Contract (lasts 365 days from issuance)
  3. If contract is not followed: PRE-SARB Contract
  4. SARB (Student Attendance Review Board)
    • A student with (9) full unexcused days absent will be subject to a hearing at the district office, which results in a parent and students signing an attendance contract with a truancy probation officer. If SARB contract is violated, student will be referred to the Juvenile Justice System and/or be placed on probation.
  5. Alternative school placement

Unexcused Absences:

The State of California believes that the first priority is that the child attends school on a daily basis. For example, Welfare & AFDC benefits may end or be reduced drastically, if a student misses more than (3) full days of school. Education Code Section 48260-48263 provides definitions and referral procedures for:

  • Any student subject to compulsory attendance who is absent without a valid excuse more than three (3) days in one school year is considered a habitual truant.  The district will automatically send truancy notifications when a student is marking unexcused (30) minutes or more on three separate days per California’s truancy laws.
  • Any student defined as habitual truant who continues an unacceptable pattern of unexcused absences or tardiness may be referred to the district’s SARB.
  • Students with (6) six or more unexcused absences past (30) days may be placed on a Pre-SARB attendance agreement.  This last 365 days from issuance and absences can only be excused with a medical note.
  • Any student showing low academic performance may also have their permit revoked.
  • Welfare and Institutions Code, Section 601 describes the consequences for habitual truancy if a minor pleads or is found guilty by trial to include but not limited to:
    • Being made a ward of the court (placed on probation).
    • Having a driver’s license revoked or denied until age eighteen.
    • Being placed in juvenile hall for violation of court order.

Chronic Illness Verification

Students who have excessive tardies and/or absences due to their medical condition will need to have a doctor’s note on file for the current school year.  Once the form is completed and signed, please turn it into the school nurse.

Attendance Codes and Procedures

These are the most common attendance codes used by school staff and communicated to students:

A    Unexcused Absence (truant)

  • Parent/Guardian has only 10 school days after an absence to report and absence.  Only excused reasons per Ed. Code qualify for an excuse.
  • After three (3) full days of unexcused absences or 18 period unexcused absences, within a school year, the student is in violation of CA law for compulsory (required) attendance

AD Absent with a doctor’s notes.

AE Excused Absence (illness/injury or medical/dental appointments)

AN Non-Ill Absence (preapproved leaves, family crisis, nonmedical appointments)

AV Absence Verified as Unexcused (often called verified truant)

  • Saturday School is assigned.

C Saturday School (cleared unexcused absence)

NE No Enrolled

P Present

PK Present Completed Independent Study

PQ Present-Sat Schl-/Detention

PB  Present-Truant Sweep

R Saturday School (AE)

AS Suspension

D School/District Function (field trip, nurse, athletics, etc.)

  • Often, an “A” code is assigned because a student did not check with the teacher before leaving for a legitimate reason. Check your attendance to clear your “A”

TE Tardy Excused

TE30 Excused Tardy more than 30 min.

TU30 Unexcused Tardy more than 30 min.

T Tardy Unexcused

  • This is the biggest reason for low citizenship grades! Be in class on time!  Develop positive habits early.
  • Students can make up tardies to clear their names from the Choices list by attending the SRP (Saturday Privilege Recovery Program).
  • 8 Tardies can be cleared by attending 4 hours of SPRP.  Students will submit proof of attendance to SPRP to their teachers.  All Tardies must be cleared through arrangements with the classroom teacher. The code will be changed to a “PQ” code.

T Unverified absence

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