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Attendance Policies

Attendance Policy 

The start time at Serra School is 7:55am

All students are expected to arrive at school on time and to attend school daily.

The Principal and Office Staff will monitor absences and follow the School Attendance Review Board (SARB) notification procedures beginning after a total of three unexcused absences and/or tardies of more than 30 minutes.  This is in accordance to state law of California.

Letter #1 (Ed Code 48260a) – Notification of Truancy Letter #1 is mailed to the parent/guardian if the pupil is absent from school without valid excuse on three occasions 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.

Letter #2 (Ed Code 48261) – Notification of Continuing Truancy Letter #2 is mailed to the parent/guardian if a pupil has been reported as a truant and is again absent from school without valid excuse one or more days, or tardy more than 30 minutes on or more days.

Letter #3 (Ed Code 48262) – Classification as a Habitual Truant Letter #3 is mailed to the parent/guardian to invite them to attend a school attendance review team (SART) meeting when a pupil has been determined to be habitually truant by having been reported as truant more than four times in a school year.

Vacation days taken while school is in session are considered  unexcused absences and will contribute to truancy.

All absences must be reported to the office by calling 672-2717 (ext. 3) on the morning of the absence.  When leaving a message, please identify yourself, give your child’s name, the date of the absence and the reason for the absence.  If you are aware of an upcoming absence, please inform the office and the teacher in advance.  All absences must be cleared within five days or they will remain unexcused and will affect your child’s attendance record.

Classroom teachers need a full day’s notice to compile missed homework/class assignments for absent students.  Please contact your child’s teacher via email to make your request.  Parents may pick up the missed homework in the office after 3:00pm.   

IF YOUR CHILD SHOULD TEST POSITIVE FOR COVID, please send proof of the positive test result to the email address shown above and contact the Health Tech at (805) 672-2717, ext. 1013 for further direction/protocols.