YCUSD

It is the parent’s/guardian’s responsibility to ensure that students attend school promptly and regularly. (Educational Code, Article 6, Section 48290). Following any absence, the student should bring a signed parent note to school stating their full name, address, reason and date of absence. In addition, parents may call the school office to leave this information on voicemail or with the attendance clerk. Any absence which is unclear will be treated as truancy. The following definitions will be used to classify your absence:

Illness—excused - Medical, dental, personal illness

Non-illness-excused - Observance of a religious holiday, court appearance, funeral of immediate family member

Non-illness-unexcused - All other absences except truancy

Truancy - Unauthorized absence from school without parent knowledge or permission

The attendance clerk will keep a record of all absences. Serious attendance problems will be referred to administration for action, and referral to all appropriate agencies will be made.

Students with excessive absences or tardies will require intervention.  The parent or guardian will be referred to the principal for a meeting.  If the absences or tardies continue, the parent can be referred to the Student Attendance Review Board (SARB) and may be subject to an attendance contract and/or fines.

 

Anytime a student is removed from campus during the school day by a parent or designee, this person must be listed as a contact on the student's registration card. Students must be signed out through the office.  Children being removed early from school, 30 minutes or more, will have it marked into their attendance.  A valid medical verification must be provided when the student returns to school.

 

A tardy prohibits children from gaining the maximum advantage from classroom instruction. Our goal is to eliminate tardiness, maximize instruction, and develop a sense of punctuality. Please try to have your child at school on time everyday.

 

Missing just 2 days per month can add up quickly to 10% of the year! Any absence, excused or unexcused, counts in this total, because every day a student misses school is lost instructional time. This is why we call home and send letters so frequently -  so that our parents are informed and aware of how quickly missing days add up and can negatively impact the student's success in school.

 

Missing just 2 days of school a month can make it harder to:

- Gain early reading and math skills

- Build relationships

- Develop good attendance habits

 

Students should miss no more than 9 days of school each year to stay engaged, successful and on track to graduation.

Setting routines and havits as early as Preschool and TK can make a big positive impact on attendance. Frequent absences can be a sign that a student is losing interest in school, struggling with schoolwork, dealing with a bully or facing some other difficulty. 

By 6th grade, absenteeism is one of three signs that a student may drop out of high school.

By 6th grade, attendance is a better predictor or graduation rates than 8th grade test scores.

 

Cold and flu season is coming. Please review this handout with health guidleines as provided by CDPH 

 

Tummy aches and headaches might be a sign of physical illness, or they might be a sign that your child is suffering from some anxiety about school.

We encourage you to review this (Student missing school due to anxiety) and ask the school for guidance. A mental illness is an excused absence, but missing school might only make the problem worse, rather than help. Talk to your school counselor and seek some guidance. 

 

Are there other barriers that are preventing your student from attending school on time and regularly?

Housing? Transportation? Food insecurity? Feeling insecure with academics? Lonely?

 

Reach out to the school - we might be able to connect you with school resources, and outside resources to assist.