Attendance

Our Policies

• Student Attendance

  Petaluma City Schools is committed to creating a safe and welcoming environment for students. Attendance is a large part of student engagement and success. Research indicates that student success is directly linked to attendance. A student’s academic achievement relies on their ability to be fully present in class with a healthy and balanced physical and mental state. Health and academic achievement are known to coincide with one another. When the health of students is suffering, the risk for poor academic outcomes increases.

  The purpose of this message is to provide you with some information about the differences between truancy, chronic absenteeism and the processes in place to support you and your family.

  There is a tension between attendance and students attending school who might be ill. We recognize this is often a difficult decision to make, for example between minor allergies and more serious illness. We have asked that you err on the side of caution and not send potentially sick children to school. However, we do want to clarify our systems and definitions with regards to attendance. Please know that above all we consider this a partnership and are here to provide support and resources.

  Participation (physical presence) is an important part of your grade. Participation, in the form of points each day, will raise or lower your grade. It is important for students to be punctual and in regular attendance for 180 school days. We realize that students will miss school due to illness and, occasionally, for other reasons. 

  Perfect attendance at school should be the goal of every student. State law requires children between the ages of 6 and 18 years (except those exempted by law) to attend school FULL TIME. Night school cannot be substituted for regular schooling. Students who are 18 years old are still required to follow school rules, including those required while in attendance at school. All absences, due to illness, partial and/or full day, in excess of 14 occurrences in the school year will require a doctor’s note. Continual attendance problems may result in disciplinary action, disenrollment (transfer to an alternative program), or referral to the District Attorney.

• Definitions

  Truancy:

  The California Legislature defined a truant in very precise language. In summary, it states that a student missing more than 30 minutes of instruction without an excuse three times during the school year must be classified as a truant and reported to the proper school authority. It is a narrow view of attendance problems because it addresses those students who missed school based on reasons not acceptable to California Education Code and PCS Board Policy. Most school attendance policies identify "allowable" reasons students may miss school (e.g., illness).

  View the PCS Board Policy and Administrative Regulations, California Education Code

  Chronic Absence:

  Identifies children who are repeatedly missing school and considerable amounts of instruction. Students are considered chronically absent when they miss 10% of the days for which they are enrolled. The 10% is used since research has shown this is the tipping point for when detrimental consequences begin to occur. When we are able to identify the specific children who are missing large portions of school, we are able to direct resources more strategically and provide appropriate interventions that help them get to school and on track for learning.

  • Chronic absence is a measure of students who have missed 10% or more of the days in which they were enrolled in the school year.
  • The chronic absence rate is the portion of students within a grade, district or subgroup that misses 10% or more of the days in which they were enrolled.
  • Chronic absence needs to be addressed because our ability to identify and support chronically absent students and their families has the potential to help:
  • reduce the achievement gap,
  • increase students’ readiness for college and careers.
• If A Student is Absent
  1. Each day a student is absent, the parent or guardian must call the attendance office at 778-4670 or notify the school through ParentSquare or email: phsattendance@petk12.org  and give the reason for the absence.
  2. If phone contact is not made, upon the student’s return, the student must have a written note from a parent or guardian explaining the date(s) and reason for the absence.
  3. Absences not cleared within 3 days will be recorded as cuts, and a 1 hour after school detention may be assigned.

  • When errors do occur, students are responsible for picking up a correction form from the attendance office, giving it to their teacher(s) who make the corrections, and then returning the form to the attendance clerk.
• Tardy Policy

  All students are expected to be on time to each class. Tardiness is defined as entering the classroom any time after and up to 30 minutes after the final bell. If a student is tardy, they should report directly to the Ms. Fagundes’s office in the SAC for a pass to class. The Attendance Office will excuse tardies with a written note or phone call from a parent, doctor, or dentist verifying the illness or medical or dental appointment.

  After the 3rd Tardy, a detention will be assigned. Detentions for tardies will be held after school Monday-Thursday for 30 minutes per tardy. 

  • 1st Tardy: Check-in
  • 2nd Tardy: Conference
  • 3rd Tardy: Conference & warning
  • 4th Tardy: 30-minute detention 

  Each additional tardy, after the 4th, will result in a 30-minute detention and could result in a Truancy Letter. 

  Students failing to show for detention will be notified via email by the discipline secretary. Students are expected to read and respond to their email each day. Students who do not respond to an email or request an alternative detention date will be called to the office. Additional consequences may apply:

  • 1st Offense:  Conference with a warning
  • 2nd Offense: Double detention (1-hour detention) 
  • 3rd Offense:  Conference with an Administrator where additional consequences maybe assigned
• Cutting Class

  The following situations are considered class cuts:

  • Being over 30 minutes late to class without a valid excuse.
  • Any absence not cleared within 72 hours 
  • Leaving class or school during the school day without properly checking out  (parent notification and signing out at the front office prior to leaving campus). 
  • Leaving an assigned area without permission of the teacher or the person in charge.

  If you cut school or class, you are subject to disciplinary action. Depending on the circumstances, this disciplinary action will vary and depending on the circumstances could result in a possible SART referral. 

  Students will be assigned a 1-hour detention for each period cut in a day. For example, if a student cuts all 3 periods in one day, that student will be assigned 3 after-school detentions. 

  Students failing to show for detention will be notified via email by the discipline secretary. Students are expected to read and respond to their email each day. Students who do not respond to an email or request an alternative detention date will be called to the office. Additional consequences may apply:

  • 1st Offense:  Conference with a warning
  • 2nd Offense: Conference with an Administrator where additional consequences maybe assigned.
• Truancy Policy (Excessive Unexcused Absences/Cuts)

  Truancy letter #1 per Ed Code 48260, will automatically be mailed home to students on the 9th period absence (equivalent to 3 full days) without a valid excuse.

  Truancy letter #2 per Ed Code 48260, will automatically be mailed home to students on the 12th period (equivalent to 4 full days) absence without a valid excuse. The parent and student will be summoned to a School Attendance Review Team (SART) conference and sign an attendance contract.

  Students who have excessive absences (excused or unexcused) are missing valuable instruction and are prone to failure. The School Attendance Review Team (SART) meets with the student and parents to find ways to improve attendance. Excessive absences will result in Truancy Letter #2 being mailed home. 

  SART will consider grades and extenuating circumstances that lead to excessive absences. One of the following decisions will be made at the conclusion of the meeting:

  • Remain in class with attendance monitored under contract
  • Referral to Valley Oaks Independent Study program, Carpe Diem High School, or San Antonio High School
  • Referral for counseling services
  • Referral to School Attendance Review Board (SARB)

  Truancy letter #3 per Ed Code 48260,  will automatically be sent home to students without a valid excuse for on the 15th unexcused period absence (equivalent to 5 full days). 

  Work permits, off-campus privileges, and extracurricular activities may be revoked/delayed. This privilege is awarded upon the condition that students have passing grades, good attendance, and no discipline issues.

  For each additional unexcused period absence after the third Truancy Letter, a formal SARB referral packet is compiled by the administration. After the SARB packet is received by Student Services, a SARB hearing will be scheduled and the school will be notified. If a parent is a no-show or the SARB contract is violated, a citation to appear before a Judge in Superior Court may be issued.

• Independent Study

  An Independent Study contract is available to students who will miss 5 days or more due to a family emergency, family trip, or other necessary absences. Pick up the Independent Study contract from the Attendance Office at least one week before the absences are scheduled and follow the process explained on the contract. Upon return to school, the student must check into the Attendance Office on the return date listed on the Independent Study contract in order for the absences to be excused and to receive credit for work completed. Students who will be absent for more than 3 weeks due to travel or medical reasons should contact their counselor for guidance.