ABSENCES

Students are expected to be at school, on time, every day. Regular school attendance is key to student success and it is closely monitored.

• Parents/guardians must call or visit Marisa Chavez at the school’s attendance office (Located in the Front Office), 566-3465 x21851, to report each absence and give the reason for the absence.
• To report or clear a student's absence select option 2. *Parent/Guardian picking up student for early dismissal must show proper ID.
• When the school does not receive a call and/or a note regarding an absence within 5 days, the absence is marked “no parent response” and is considered unexcused.

Highlands High School within Twin Rivers Unified School District adheres to California’s compulsory education laws. EC Section 48260 (a): Any pupil subject to compulsory full-time education or compulsory continuation education who is absent from school without valid excuse three full days in one school year or tardy or absent for more than any 30-minute period during the school day without a valid excuse on three occasions in one school year, or any combination thereof, is a truant and shall be reported to the attendance supervisor or the superintendent of the school district.

TRUANCY LETTERS are generated based on the following:

1^st Notification of Truancy = 3 unexcused absences/tardies 30 minutes or more.

2^nd Notification of Truancy = 5 unexcused absences/tardies 30 minutes or more.

3rd Notification of Truancy = 6 unexcused absences/tardies 30 minutes or more. At this time a School Attendance Review Team (SART) meeting will be held.

Tardies= Students arriving to any class 30 minutes or more, after start of the period are considered Tardy. Letters are sent to parents/guardians whose students accumulate 3 or more unexcused tardy or absence infractions.

Late= Students arriving to any class between 1 and 29 minutes after the start of each period are considered Late. Letters will be sent home to parents/guardians whose students accumulate 5 or more late occurrences.

Accumulation of 5 and 10 excused absences or tardies in a given year generates an Excessive Absence letter. Medical verification is then required for any future absences or tardies to be marked excused after 10 infractions. A School Attendance Review Team (SART) meeting may also be held upon 10 excused absences and tardies.