• be smart. be present. be here.

    Each day a student is absent represents lost time in the classroom and lost opportunity to learn.

    Parents: We want each student to attend classes each day. Successful attendance + behavior + grades = positive student outcomes, including high school graduation. You may access your student’s attendance through the parent portal.

    TARGET ATTENDANCE

    6 or fewer days per year - excused or unexcused - leads to positive outcomes & educational benefits

    WARNING ATTENDANCE

    7-9 days per year - excused or unexcused - can place the student several days behind classmates’ learning opportunities

    CHRONIC ABSENTEEISM

    10 or more days per year - excused or unexcused - leads to lost learning opportunities
    •  

    ABSENCES

    A student who does not attend a class or arrives 15 or more minutes late is considered absent. Absences can be defined as excused or unexcused. Students are allowed 9 absences (excused or unexcused) per semester. The tenth total absence may result in loss of credit unless there are extenuating circumstances.  If a student misses a class due to a pre-approved school-related activity, or a school suspension, it will not count as an absence.

    EXCUSED ABSENCE: A parent or legal guardian must call the attendance office hotline within 24 hours of the absence to officially excuse the student. An excused absence may be due to, but is not limited to, these conditions:

    • Serious family illness (documentation req’d)

    • Personal illness or health conditions  

    • Death in the immediate family

    • Religious holiday

    • Doctor or dentist appointment (documentation req'd)

    UNEXCUSED ABSENCE: Any absence that is not excused within 24 hours of the absence by a parent or legal guardian is recorded as unexcused. Students are still accountable for information missed while they are out. Teachers are recommended to give no credit for any test, assignment or other work missed due to unexcused absences.

    CHRONIC ABSENTEEISM:  Occurs when a student misses greater than 10% of school days due to absences - regardless of reason. Arizona Revised Statute (A.R.S.) §15-803 (B) states that absences may be considered excessive when the number of absent days exceeds ten percent of the number of required attendance days prescribed in A.R.S. §15-802. Ten percent equates to nine (9) days of absences per semester regardless of whether they are excused or unexcused.

    SUSPENSION: Even though a suspension is considered a serious consequence for discipline issues, the days missed while suspended do not count as absences for purposes of keeping track of days missed from school. Suspended students remain responsible for any and all makeup work.

    CONSEQUENCES FOR ABSENCES: The following actions will be taken after five (5) and after nine (9) excused/unexcused absences per semester and if a student reaches 10 consecutive absences in a semester: 

    1. Five Absences When a student reaches five (5) absences, whether excused or unexcused, they will receive the 5-Day Absence Warning Letter. The parent/guardian will receive the letter via email (or U.S. Mail if email is not available). 

    2. Nine (9) Absences When a student reaches nine (9) absences, whether excused or unexcused, they will receive the 9-Day Absence Final Warning Letter. The parent/guardian will receive the letter via email (or U.S. Mail if email is not available).

    3. 10+ Absences Once a student reaches 10 or more absences, they will be referred to administration for excessive absenteeism. 

    4. 10 Consecutive Absences After 10 consecutive days of absences per semester, the state requires schools to automatically withdraw the student.

    TARDIES

    TARDY TO SCHOOL:  In order for a student to be excused from class when he/she is late to school, the student must check in at the attendance desk to be signed in. In order to excuse being tardy, the attendance office must receive a phone call or email within a 24-hour period from a parent/guardian using a verified phone number or email on the student's file. A note from the doctor’s office, dentist's office or court system will also excuse a student in lieu of a parent calling. An unexcused reason for a tardy will result in an unexcused pass to class. For the first period of the student’s school day, he/she will be allowed five (5) unexcused tardies.  For every five (5) tardies, the student will be assigned to Saturday School. A student can also receive Saturday school for excessive excused tardies is the tardies are becoming frequent, excessive, disruptive, or for any other reason deemed necessary.

    TARDY TO CLASS: Students whose tardy is unexcused for any period (except the student’s 1st period of the day) will receive consequences based on the teacher’s classroom policy (i.e after school detention, loss of points, etc.). If a student comes to school late after the first period and would be considered tardy to a class, the student must check in at the attendance desk to be signed in. In order to excuse the tardy, please refer to the school procedures outlined above in the Tardy to School section. A parent/guardian may not call in to excuse a tardy that occurs when a student is traveling from class to class; students are expected to arrive to class on time.

    Ditching a class: Students caught ditching will be assigned Saturday School, and can recieve other suspensions for multiple occurances.