Attendance

ABSENCES:

California school law requires that a student attend school regularly and punctually.  California schools only receive funding for students on the days they attend school.

Procedures to be followed if your student is absent:

  1. On the day of a student absence a parent/guardian is requested to phone the school to report the absence.   The school phone number is 760-306-4966.  You may also email your student’s absence to [email protected].
  2. If the student absence from school was not verified by phone, please send a note/written statement signed by the parent/guardian.  The note must include the student’s name, date(s) of absence and reason for absence.
  3. If a parent/guardian does not call the school by 9:00 am, the automated system will call the primary contact to verify the absence.  If contact is not made by phone, note, or email, after 3 school days, the absence will be marked “unexcused”.

 

CALIFORNIA TRUANCY LAW

California Ed Code excuses personal illness, medical appointments, quarantine, funerals of immediate family members, court appearances, and religious exercises.  Additionally, please remember that out of town visits, caring for the sick, or caring for relatives are not excused absences.

Be mindful that a student is considered truant if he/she is absent from school without valid excuse either:

  1. For three full days; or
  2. Tardy more than 30 minutes three times; or
  3. Any combination of three (full school days or over 30 minutes late.)- Education Code 48260

As a result of the changes in the truancy laws, Muroc Joint Unified School District has adopted a School Attendance Review Board (SARB).  The purpose is to address truancy/behavior problems which interfere with the educational progress of students, while holding parents and students to a greater level of accountability.

If a student has been reported as truant three or more times with in the same school year, provided the district has made a conscientious effort to hold at least one conference with the student and his/her parent or guardian, her/she is regarded as a Habitual Truant.  (Education Code 48264.5)  Parents/guardians of truants will receive three (3) progressive notification letters.  The third letter notifies that a mandatory SARB hearing will be scheduled.

These changes include the definition of a new term: Chronic Truant.  A Chronic Truant is any student who has missed 10% or more of the school days in one school year, from the beginning of the school term until the date the check is conducted, provided the proper notifications have been made.  Under Ed Code parent/guardians of chronic truants in grades K-8 can be found guilty of a misdemeanor and can be subjected to imprisonment, or a fine, or both.

We urge you to make every effort to ensure that your student is at school on time each day in order to maximize his/her educational experience and to be in compliance with the laws of California.

 

Opening Day Packet 2022-2023