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Attendance

ATTENDANCE INFORMATION

TO REPORT AN ABSENCE ...

Supporting your children to arrive at school on time and attend school daily is an essential part of your student’s success in school. However, if your student is sick or is not attending school, please contact the Monte Gardens Elementary School office to report the absence by 8:30 am. The 24 hour attendance line phone number is 925-682-8000 x4469. Then they will be able to clear the absence with our office staff. Absences must be called in daily unless otherwise advised the the school office.

An EXCUSED ABSENCE

An EXCUSED ABSENCE is defined as:

  1. Illness or injury of the student which necessitates the absence of the student.  This does not include absence due to illness or injury of the parents, siblings, or child of the student.  

  2. Student attendance at a medical, dental, optometric, counseling (for mental or emotional issues) or chiropractic appointment.  The appointment must be for the student, not for any other person.

  3. Student attendance at the funeral service of an immediate family member.  Family member is defined as; mother, father, brother, sister, grandparent, any other relative living in the immediate household.  Aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews and cousins are not immediate family members unless they live in the same household.  Funeral excused absences are limited to no more than one day for a funeral within California and three days for a funeral outside of the State.

  4. To obtain required immunizations

  5. Exclusion from school i.e. head lice, lack of immunizations or physical examinations.

  6. Appearance in court

  7. Observance of a holiday or ceremony of his/her religion

UNEXCUSED ABSENCE

All absences for any reason not included under excused absences should be defined as unexcused. 

TARDY

A student is tardy when he/she arrives at school after 8:10 when school has begun.  An excused tardy is defined as medical, dental, optometric, counseling or chiropractic appointments and must be accompanied by a note from the provider.

EARLY PICK UP FROM SCHOOL

Students picked up from school prior to the end of the school day must be signed out of the office by a parent or authorized representative noted in the student's emergency contact information.  All appointments meeting the excused absence criteria above require a provider note within 72 hours to excuse the absence.  Please ensure your emergency contact information is up-to-date in the Homelink Parent Portal.  A picture id will be required prior to release of the student.

CHRONIC ABSENCES

In accordance with Education Code Section 60901(c)(1) if a student is chronically absent, the parent/guardian must provide medical verification for future absences to be excused. Once a student is identified as chronically absent they will be required  to follow these procedures until the end of the school year. Chronic absenteeism means that a student has missed 10 percent or more of school days(to date) due to absences for any reason—excused, unexcused absences and suspensions. 

INDEPENDENT STUDY

We want families to plan family vacations around our school schedule. However, if your student will be absent 5 to 14 school days, please email your student’s teacher and Jennifer Hix at hixj@mdusd.org  with 2 weeks notice prior to the absence to begin the paperwork needed to get approval for the independent study contract and for the teacher to prepare school work. If a student is absent due to being sick, please request this independent study contract on the 4th or 5th day of the absence.

Once you have been approved, the parent, child, teacher, and administration will sign contracts and agree to complete the assigned work within a specific timeline. It takes our staff a significant amount of time to prepare this contract and the school work, thank you for the advanced notice. Thank you for ensuring your student attends school each day that they are healthy.