Attendance
DID YOU KNOW ...
Many of our youngest students miss 10 percent of the school year - about 18 days a year or just two days every month. Chronic absenteeism in kindergarten, and even Pre-K, can predict lower test scores, poor attendance, and retention in later grades, especially if the problem persists for more than a year.
Attendance Policies and Information
Late/Tardy Check-ins
All students are required to sign in and out of the attendance office if they are late or have an early dismissal slip. Leaving campus without prior permission will result in truancy action. If a student is late to class throughout the day due to a meeting with a staff member they are responsible for requesting a pass and turning it into the attendance office. Students will be considered unexcused late if less than 30 minutes after the bell and tardy if more than 30 minutes for any other reason.
- Late slips are available in the Attendance Office Counter for the first 29 minutes of a class period.
- Tardy slips will then be available at the Attendance Desk for students arriving to class 30 minutes or more past the period bell.
Appointments/Early Releases
Please contact the office before 9 AM to excuse any absences for your child. If your child has an appointment and needs to be released early, kindly let the attendance office know 1 hour before the student needs to be released. We encourage ALL parents to allow themselves 10 minutes to come in and sign their child out if they need their child released early.
Students driving themselves to an appointment should allot themselves an additional 15 minutes for a campus monitor to unlock the student parking lot gate and allow them to exit.
Lunch/Personal Deliveries
Any item dropped off for a student will be held in the office until the student can retrieve it during a passing period or break. Sending messages and forgotten items to students while they are in class disrupts the learning process and will only be done in emergency situations. Forgotten homework, PE clothes, cell phones, and lunches are NOT considered an emergency. Please arrange with your child to check for these non-emergency items in the office. Food delivery services may drop off items in the office at the table designated. Students should not be meeting delivery services during class time.
OFFICE STAFF IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR LOST, STOLEN, OR DAMAGED ITEMS LEFT AT THE DROP TABLE.
*Under California Education Code 46000 and MPUSD BP # 5113/AR #5113 schools must track all absences and report them to the state.
1. All absences must be cleared by telephone, Parentsquare or email. Only parents or legal guardians may clear absences.
2. Parents may call their school’s Attendance Office and speak directly to the attendance clerk or school secretary.
3. All absences should be cleared within 24 hours of their occurrence. An absence not cleared for five days will be considered truant.
(a) Notwithstanding Section 48200, a pupil shall be excused from school when the absence is:
1. Due to his or her illness.
2. Due to quarantine under the direction of a county/city health officer.
3. For the purpose of having medical, dental, optometrical, or chiropractic services rendered.
4. 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.
5. For the purpose of jury duty in the manner provided for by law.
6. Due to the illness or medical appointment during school hours of a child of whom the pupil is the custodial parent.
7. For justifiable personal reasons, including, but not limited to, an appearance in court, attendance at a funeral service, observance of a holiday or ceremony of his or her religion, attendance at religious retreats, attendance at an employment conference, or attendance at an educational conference on the legislative or judicial process offered by a nonprofit organization when the pupil's absence is requested in writing by the parent or guardian and approved by the principal or a designated representative pursuant to uniform standards established by the governing board.
8. For the purpose of serving as a member of a precinct board for an election pursuant to Section 12302 of the Elections Code.
9. 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 position. Absences granted pursuant to this paragraph shall be granted for a period of time to be determined at the discretion of the superintendent of the school district.
10. For the purpose of attending the pupil’s naturalization ceremony to become a United States citizen.
LEARN MORE
Visit Attendance Works, a national and state initiative that promotes awareness of the important role that school attendance plays in achieving academic success starting with school entry.