Capistrano Valley High School

Attendance

ONLINE ATTENDANCE FORM

Parents and guardians may now use this Online Attendance Form to conduct all business with the attendance office including notifying the office of a student leaving early/arriving late to school and to report a student absence. Parents may still report an absence by calling (949) 365-0973, and they may report a student arriving late or call a student out early by calling (949) 388-1092.

ALL DAY ABSENCES: (949) 365-0973

If your student is going to be absent for the entire day please call the 24-Hour Absence Line. DO NOT LEAVE REQUESTS FOR EARLY OUTS ON THE ABSENCE LINE! This is a voicemail service that does not ring in the office; your request may not be heard until much later in the day.

It is our desire at Capistrano Valley High School that students attend classes regularly and have a successful year. To that end, it will be helpful for each family to maintain regular communication with the attendance office staff. Whenever your son or daughter is absent, please call our office at (949) 365-0973 the same day as the absence. In the event you need to call while the school switchboard is not in operation, this 24-hour message line is available. When calling the message line, please speak slowly and clearly spell the full name and grade of your child. Also, please leave one of the reasons for the absence listed below:

Illness: including medical appointments. (teacher will allow make up work.)
Funerals
Court Date
Religious Event
College Visits
Personal Business: any absence not listed above. For example, non-medical appointments, vacations, oversleeping, etc. Generally, these absences are considered unexcused and it is up to the discretion of the teachers to allow make up work

LEAVING SCHOOL EARLY

(949) 388-1092
ALL STUDENTS MUST CHECK OUT WITH ATTENDANCE PRIOR TO LEAVING CAMPUS!

It is sometimes necessary for the student to leave before the school day is over. In this case, a parent/guardian must contact the attendance office prior to the student leaving campus. The attendance office expects that the student will come to the attendance office before he/she leaves campus and pickup a prearranged early out slip. Please coordinate with your child the details regarding his/her early departure from school and where you will pick-up your child. The school recommends that students be picked up at the flagpole. Students who leave campus without permission are considered truant and parents are unable to clear the truancy.

TARDIES

(949) 388-1092

Students arriving late to class create not only a disruption to the classroom, but also a loss of valuable instructional time for the student. ALL STUDENTS ARRIVING LATE TO SCHOOL MUST REPORT TO THE ATTENDANCE OFFICE AND SIGN IN AT THE WINDOW – EVEN IF ARRIVING DURING PASSING PERIOD/LUNCH. A parent/guardian must call prior to lunch to verify the reason for arriving late to school.

TRUANCIES

Any absence that is not cleared by the office within 72 hours (Ed. Code) will become a truancy and disciplinary action may be taken by the assistant principal. Students are expected to be responsible for their attendance record. The school suggests the following: check with teachers (especially on sub days) to verify roll, respond immediately when uncleared absence letters are mailed home, and periodically call the attendance office to verify attendance. In the even your son or daughter is repeatedly truant, it is a good practice to call the attendance office often to verity attendance.

9TH PERIOD GOLD TIME ATTENDANCE

GOLD TIME is part of our instructional day and is considered the students’ 9th period. All students have a 9th period GOLD TIME. Now that everyone is accustomed to our new scheduling software of Enriching Students, you will now receive a phone call if your student is marked absent to 9th period GOLD TIME.

GOLD TIME was developed at Capistrano Valley High School as an opportunity for students to acquire extracurricular help, seek out teachers on a one-on-one basis, and to work cooperatively with other students. Tutorial is required part of the instructional program where attendance is taken daily and is required. Although teachers have developed their own specific classroom rules for GOLD TIME, the following are school-wide guidelines for the Tutorial period:

It is mandatory that every student must be in tutorial room by the beginning bell. Anyone caught outside, for any reason, will be swept to the lunch pavilion, and assigned appropriate consequences.
No hall passes are allowed for any reason. In an emergency, teachers must call an administrator or campus supervisor to escort the student to the desired location.
Students must go to one of the classes on their current class schedule. To ensure a spot in the class of a student's choice, he/she must sign up in advance with the teacher of his/her choice. Once signed in, the student is given priority for attendance in that classroom for that day.
Teachers are encourage to allow no more than 30 students in their classroom and to lock the doors when the bell rings or 30 students are present who have priority to say in the classroom.
Students are expected to use the tutorial time productively.
All students must sign in on the Tutorial roster once they are in the classroom.

Teachers will use the following priority criteria when allowing students to attend GOLD TIME in his/her classroom:

Students who have the class on their schedule and have previously signed up for that day.
Students who have the class on their schedule regardless if they signed up or a student who has previously had the teacher, and received prior approval from the teacher to attend.

INDEPENDENT STUDY CONTRACT

These contracts are for students planning on missing regular instruction time due to extended absences. Our office will need at least one week advance notice in order to collect the assignments and necessary signatures. Parents must come in person to the attendance office during school business hours to sign each contract and provide the assignments. Before leaving for the trip, students must return contracts to the office where we will retain a portion of the contract forms. State attendance auditors closely audit Independent study contracts, and all steps must be followed completely.

HEALTH OFFICE

Each school site is provided with a Health Technician who divides his/her time between five schools. On average, a Health Technician is present one day. Therefore, our office staff assumes the responsibilities of caring for ill and injured students. We are here for emergency care only. Should a student fall sick during the day, he/she must go home to recuperate, as our facilities are not adequate to provide proper care for long periods at a time. Any student injured during the school day is brought to our office, evaluated and provided with first aid measures. If the student is unable to return to school activities, it may be necessary to contact a parent to decide if the child should be seen by the family physician or be taken home to rest. When a student comes to the office, it is the student's responsibility to inform an adult in the office that he/she is present.

MEDICATION

Any student needing to have medication throughout the school day must have a medical release form completed by a doctor and parent or guardian. Medications are locked up and dispensed according to doctor's orders. This includes prescription and over the counter medications. Students are responsible for coming to the office at the correct time to take their medicine. If your child has special medical needs, please contact the school to discuss the details of your child's particular situation.

HOMEWORK

Our office will request homework from the teachers on behalf of a student who is ill for three or more consecutive days only when requested to do so by a parent. We will need 24 hours to collect it, and it must be picked up during office hours (7:00 am - 3:00 pm). Students who are suspended for more than one day will have their homework automatically requested. Parents are advised to make arrangements to collect it the homework as soon as possible.

The Governing Board believes that homework properly designed, carefully planned, and which is appropriate to the development of the individual student is an essential part of an effective, well-planned instructional program. The administration and certificated staff design homework plans and assignments so that, through their homework, students can reinforce academic skills taught in school and learn how to conduct research effectively, develop ideas creatively, and become life-long learners. Homework, if properly designed, significantly strengthens student learning and achievement.

The Board believes homework is the responsibility of the student. It is the student's job to develop regular study habits and to do most assignments independently. The Board encourages all teachers to view the parent/guardian as a contributing resource and to structure homework assignments to involved the parent/guardian without diminishing the student's sense of responsibility. When assigning homework that involving interaction with parent/guardians, teachers should include instructions that show how parent/guardians can best help their children. To be effective, homework assignments should not place an undue burden or students and families. Homework should reinforce classroom learning objectives and be related to individual student needs and abilities. Homework can involve a variety of activities related to the established curriculum and does not need to be exclusively paper and pencil. This can also include advance preparation for upcoming lessons. (BP-6154a)

PHONE USE

The office phones are for school use only. Students who must leave school early for any reason may use the phone in order to obtain permission to leave from a parent. A staff member must speak with the parent in order to secure permission.

DELIVERING MESSAGES OR PERSONAL ITEMS

Since it is our desire to maintain a learning environment that is uninterrupted, the attendance office does not deliver items or messages to students in non-emergency situations. Students are responsible for bringing everything with them at the start of the day. This includes homework, study materials, uniforms, and lunches. We appreciate your understanding that instructional time should not be interrupted.

EXCUSED ABSENCE FOR STUDENT OBSERVANCE OF RELIGIOUS HOLIDAYS

The student and/or parent have the responsibility to make arrangements with the classroom teacher for any make-up assignments. The classroom teacher will make every effort not to schedule tests during or on the school day following religious holidays and will provide make-up assignments or inform students of post-holiday tests prior to the holiday being observed. The student will be allowed two (2) days for each day of absence to make up assignments and/or tests if tests must be scheduled during the period absence or on the day he/she returns to class. Additional time may be given at the classroom teacher's discretion. (BP-6154a)

MAKE-UP WORK

Students shall be given the opportunity to make up school work missed because of an excused absence or suspension and shall receive full credit if the work is turned in according to the school's established make-up schedule. (BP-6154a)

ZERO PERIOD ATTENDANCE EXPECTATIONS

A zero period class is an optional course request and is not required for any student. A major consideration for students who request a zero period class is the recognition that student attendance must not be compromised due to the early start time. In most cases, there is a direct correlation between regular attendance and success in class. In order to ensure good attendance and to maintain the integrity of the class, it is necessary to establish strict but fair attendance guidelines.

On the 5th excused or unexcused absence the teacher will call home to notify the parents.
On the 7th excused or unexcused absence a referral will be given to an Assistant Principal.
On the 10th excused or unexcused absence the student may be dropped from the zero period class and loss of privileges may occur.

Students who have reached the 10th excused or unexcused absence will not be allowed a zero period class for the next semester.

There may, of course, be exceptions to this contract due to verified extended illness or other special circumstances. In such cases it is important that the parent(s) communicate with the teacher and follow established school guidelines for extended absences.

The purpose of this policy is not to punish or penalize those students that have legitimate and unavoidable absences. Rather it is intended to make all students accountable for good attendance and to achieve a quality educational environment.

CAPISTRANO VALLEY HIGH