Attendance Policies
The Palo Alto Unified School District recognizes that success in school is in part related to prompt and regular classroom attendance. Frequent absences or tardies, which result in a student missing classroom activities, are detrimental to the individual student and the class. Student non-attendance or persistent tardiness is therefore matters of serious concern.
General Absences: Parents should call the attendance office (650-354-1405) each day that the student is absent, unless the student is planning to be gone for a specific length of time and arrangements are made in advance. When an absence is not called in or a note not presented, the absence will remain unexcused until it is cleared. All absences not cleared within two days after the student’s return to school will remain unexcused.
Leaving Campus: Terman is a “closed campus”, and students may not leave during the school day without permission. When planning to leave for an appointment, students must bring a note from a parent to the office before school starts. Parents must come to the office to sign out a student during the school day, even if they have sent a note. Students who leave campus without prior permission will receive a “cut.”
Supervision: We make an effort to provide adequate supervision on campus throughout the school day. Because this supervision is not available around the clock, WE ASK THAT STUDENTS NOT ARRIVE MORE THAN FIFTEEN MINUTES BEFORE THE BEGINNING OF SCHOOL, AND THAT ALL STUDENTS NOT UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF STAFF, LEAVE CAMPUS BY 3:20 pm. ON MONDAYS, TUESDAYS, THURSDAYS AND FRIDAYS, AND 2:00 p.m. ON WEDNESDAYS.
Make-Up Work: Teachers are not obligated to provide make-up assignments for absences other than health or school-related events. Parents are urged to schedule medical/dental appointments after school. Teachers will explain their policies for accepting late work at Back-to-School Night.
Accumulated Absences: Students who demonstrate a pattern of excessive absenteeism or tardiness may be referred to the district School Attendance Review Board (SARB) for possible alternative placement. Students with excessive absences will meet with the administrators and counselors. They may also be required, at the discretion of school personnel, to provided medical verification of absences.
Tardy Policy: Being punctual is important. Students who are late for class unnecessarily interrupt classroom activities and miss valuable instruction. The first bell rings at 8:05 a.m. every day. Teachers will review classroom “on time” procedures during the first weeks of school. Thereafter, each student is responsible for following these procedures. A student is considered tardy if not in the room or at the place designated by the teacher at the beginning of each period. Students arriving late to class shall be marked tardy unless they arrive with written permission from a staff member. Students arriving after ten minutes shall be marked absent and subject to the regular procedures for clearing absences. Excessive tardies will result in the assigning of detention and/or loss of privilege to school events. It is important to note that if a bus is late to school, a student is not marked tardy unless s/he does not proceed directly to class. Tardies that are not cleared within two days will remain unexcused.
A student can be marked tardy not only at the beginning of the school day, but at the beginning of any period during the day.
Administration will review monthly student attendance and begin meeting with students who are showing a pattern of tardiness. We will speak with the students to establish an understanding of the situation, and consequences will be assigned as follows.
5-9 tardies = 1 hour of detention.
10-14 tardies = 2.5 hours of detention and parents are notified.
15-19 tardies = 5 hours of detention, loss of a school activity privilege (dance or other activity), and
parents are contacted.
20+ tardies = A parent meeting is scheduled and consequences will be outlined at the meeting.Cuts: Absences or leaving class or school without parent, guardian or school approval will be marked as “cuts.” Students will be given one full day following an absence from school to clear any cuts. Cutting is considered extremely serious; administrators and counselors will involve parents in dealing with this behavior. Cuts may result in detention and/or loss of school privileges, with a possible referral to the School Attendance Review Board (SARB), if necessary.
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Palo Alto Unified School District
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