Attendance/Enrollment

Attendance Office:

(916) 686-0230

PGHSattend@egusd.net

ATTENDANCE POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

In order to benefit fully from the Pleasant Grove High School academic and extracurricular program and make progress toward graduation, students must attend school regularly. Regular attendance and punctuality are critical to school success. Irregular attendance negatively affects class progress and grades. Parents/guardians are encouraged to work with Pleasant Grove High School in supporting students’ regular and timely attendance.

Parents/guardians may call the school’s attendance office at (916) 686-0230 during school hours to check on their child’s tardy and absence record.

GENERAL ABSENCES

State law requires that all minors attend school full-time. Students are expected to attend school regularly. Academic success and achievement begin with a commitment to being punctual and prepared for the rigors of school. Maintaining this high standard will positively affect a student’s progress as well as reinforce a strong work ethic for the future. Parents/guardians have the ability to monitor their student’s attendance via ParentVue. Attendance is taken each period and is noted in the teacher’s roll book and in the master attendance system.

Attendance Policies

"Excused" Absences

“Excused” absences are defined in the California Education Code (EC 48205) as an absence that is:

Due to his or her illness.
Due to quarantine under the direction of a county or city health officer.
For the purpose of having medical, dental, optometric, or chiropractic services rendered.
For the purpose of attending the funeral services of a member of his or her immediate family, so long as the absence is not more than one day if the service is conducted in California and not more than three days if the service is conducted outside California.
For the purpose of jury duty in the manner provided for by law.
For justifiable personal reasons, including, but not limited to: an appearance in court attendance at a funeral service, observance of holiday or ceremony of his or her religion, attendance at religious retreats, for attendance at an employment conference or education conference on the legislative or judicial process offered by a nonprofit organization when the pupil's absence has been requested in writing by the parent/guardian and approved by the principal
For the purpose of spending time with a member of the pupil's immediate family, who is an active duty member of the uniformed services, as defined in Section 49701, and has been called to duty, for, is on leave from, or has immediately returned from deployment to a combat zone or combat support positions.
For the purpose of serving as a member of the precinct board for an election pursuant to Section 12303 of the Elections Code
For the purpose of attending the pupil's naturalization ceremony to become a US Citizen (AB 1593)
A student in foster care will be excused due to placement changes, court appearances, or elated court-ordered activities
11th & 12th grade students are eligible for two excused absences per year for college/military visits providing that meet certain criteria and submit the Excused Absence Request for College/Military Visit form within the prescribed timeline. See section below.

EXCUSED ABSENCE(S) PROCEDURES

All students have five (5) school days to clear their absence(s) with the school’s attendance records, beginning on the day they return to school. Students who do not clear their absence(s) within the five days will be considered truant from school.

A. If your parent/guardian calls the attendance office at 916-686-0230 each day that you are absent, a written note is not necessary.

B. If you have a note from your parent/guardian, bring it to the Attendance Office before 7:45 a.m., during your lunch and/or after school. The notes should be signed by your parent/guardian and include your name, identification number, date(s) of absence(s), reason for absence(s), and a current telephone number where your parent/guardian can be reached.

Note: When a student has had 14 absences in the school year for illness, any further absences for illness must be verified by a physician in order to be designated as “Excused” in the official record of attendance (AR 5113b).

College/Military Visits

11th and 12th grade students are eligible for two excused absences per year for college/military visits providing they meet certain criteria and submit the Excused Absence Request for a College/Military Visit form within the prescribed timeline. A student absent from school for this reason that completes, submits, and receives approval by administration shall be allowed to complete all assignments and assessments missed during the absence that can be reasonably provided and upon satisfactory completion within a reasonable period of time shall be given full credit.

"Unexcused" Absences/Truancy

“Unexcused Absences” are any absence that is not excused based on the guidelines noted in the previous section. Unexcused absences, even if they are verified by the parent, may result in corrective action:

An absence due to suspension is an example of an “unexcused” absence.
Truancy, flat tires, running out of gas, missing the bus, oversleeping, and vacations

A truancy is any “unexcused absence” or uncleared absence. The consequences for students who are truant are listed below:

CONSEQUENCES FOR TRUANCY:

1st Truancy	Referral to Vice Principal/Student Conference Parent Notification
2nd Truancy	Saturday School Parent Notification
3rd Truancy	Saturday School Attendance Letter #1 mailed (1st step in School Attendance Review Board, SARB*, process)
4th & 5th Truancy (Repeat Truant)	Referral to Vice Principal/Student Conference Saturday School
6th Truancy (Habitual Truant)	Vice Principal Referral Saturday School Loss of extra-curricular activities, Work Experience, ROP Attendance Letter #2 mailed (SARB*
7th Truancy	Saturday School Attendance Letter #3 mailed/SARB* hearing scheduled

SCHOOL ATTENDANCE REVIEW BOARD (SARB)

SARB reviews student attendance and disruptive behavior. Students may be referred to SARB for habitual truancy or irregular attendance.

Early Dismissals/Leave of Grounds

If you have a medical appointment that requires that you be released from school early, please follow the process listed below:

A. Parent/guardian must phone the Attendance Office at 916-686-0230 or bring a note prior to the start of school. You must speak to a staff member to make this request; voicemail messages are not accepted for early dismissals. Be advised that parents/guardians will be called to verify an early dismissal requested by a written note to ensure that a current phone number is listed.

Parents are asked to call the main office well in advance of an early dismissal from school. Early dismissals may not be arranged after 2:30 p.m. Tuesday - Friday or after 1:30 p.m. on Monday.

B. You will be issued a pass with a time to return to the Attendance Office for your early dismissal. All parents/guardians need to sign our in the school office before leaving campus.

C. If you are unable to return to campus within the tie allowed on the Early Dismissal, have your parent/guardian call the Attendance Office at 916-686-0230.

D. Students identified as having an excessive number of early dismissals will be required to clear future requests with the vice principal.

E. A medical verification will be required upon the return to school.

Tardy Policy

TARDY POLICY AND CONSEQUENCES

In order for students to be successful and productive, they must develop habits of punctuality. These habits will contribute not only to academic success, but also to career success in later years. Since tardiness is neither responsible nor productive, and since it is disruptive to the educational process, students at Pleasant Grove High School will be held accountable for punctuality. Habitual tardiness (three or more in a given class per term) will result in parent notification and administrative disciplinary action. The following policy regarding tardiness has been instituted at Pleasant Grove High High School.

All students are expected to be in class by the time the bell finishes ringing. If they are not, they are considered tardy and may be subject to corrective action.

First-period tardiness: Students who enter the classroom after the tardy bell need an excused readmit to be admitted to class without penalty. Tardy readmits will only be issued for valid reasons (i.e. medical/dental appointments verified with a physician’s note).
During the remainder of the school day, students who enter the classroom after the tardy bell, with an appropriate pass signed by a school office staff member, will be admitted to class without penalty. All other students will be marked tardy and may be subject to corrective action.
Students who arrive to class more than 30 minutes after the class period has elapsed, without a valid/approved excuse, will be marked as “unexcused absence”, not tardy. The teacher will mark the student absent in the official record of attendance and may issue an administrative behavior referral.

To excuse a late arrival/tardy, the student can bring in a medical/dental note or be escorted by a parent/guardian.

**Occasional tardy sweeps will be conducted after the tardy bell rings. Students who are not in class after the tardy bell, without an appropriate pass, regardless of their tardy history, will be assigned Friday School by a vice principal.

TARDY CONSEQUENCES

First & second tardy	Teacher warning student conference
3rd tardy	Parent phone call
4th tardy	Referral to Vice Principal/Student Conference Parent phone call
5th tardy	Referral to Vice Principal/Student Conference Parent phone call Friday night school

Change of Address

Parents/guardians are to notify the Attendance Office immediately of any change of address, telephone number, or guardianship. Two forms of proof of residence, such as a Mortgage statement or rental agreement and a current utility bill (SMUD or PG&E), are required on all address changes.

Withdrawals/Transfers

Any student withdrawing or transferring from Pleasant Grove High School must report to the Attendance Office for a clearance sheet. A parent/guardian must accompany the student to the Attendance Office to request the student be withdrawn from school. The clearance sheet must be signed and approved by the Attendance Office, all teachers, the librarian, and the school bookkeeper before the student returns it to the Attendance Office. The student must return all textbooks and other school materials and pay all fines/fees prior to withdrawal. The student must turn in his/her ID card.

ENROLLMENT