Attendance

The attendance office has implemented procedures to ensure the safety and wellbeing of all students while adhering to the California state guidelines. Students and parents are responsible for understanding and complying with the attendance policy. Thank you in advance for your cooperation and willingness to comply. Out of respect for staff, students, and families, we require considerate and appropriate communication with attendance personnel at all times.

To report an absence, please call the attendance line at 209-599-4289 within 72 hours of the absence. When leaving a message, please include your student’s name, the reason for the absence, your name and your contact number. You can also email [email protected].

An absence that is not properly reported within 72 hours will remain unexcused.

Absence

Parents/Guardians must notify the school with the reason for their student’s absence within 72 hours (3 days). After this time, absences will remain unexcused. The attendance office will classify the absence as excused or unexcused according to (Ed. Code 48205), which stipulates that absences are excused only if they meet one of the following criteria:

Personal illness *
Medical, dental, optometric, chiropractic, or mental health appointments - medical note required upon student’s return to school
Attendance at a funeral service for an immediate family member (1 day in state/ 3 days out of state)
Jury duty or any other court order requiring a personal appearance - court excusal required upon student's return to school.
Religious ceremony or retreat
Observance of a holiday or ceremony of the student’s religion
Military family reunification
Family emergency (limited to 1 per semester)

*RHS requires a doctor’s note after three or more consecutive days of illness, or the absence will remain unexcused. Any absence, for a reason other than those listed above is unexcused. A medical note is required each time your child misses school for an appointment, including Zoom appointments

Releasing a student

- Students will be released from school only when an authorized contact is present in the attendance office to sign the student out. Contact will be asked to show their ID.

- Students over the age of 18 can check themselves out following state guidelines.

- If your student drives and needs to leave school, please call the attendance office around the time you would like your student to be released. We are unable to honor requests to excuse students at a later time or date.

Leaving campus

Students who are off-campus without checking out and receiving a “Release Pass” from the attendance office, other than during lunch (on foot only), are considered ditching and will receive a 2 hour detention for each offense and a possible suspension. This applies to driving off campus during lunch, being picked up on or off campus during lunch, and leaving campus anytime during specified school hours. The absence will be marked unexcused, even if a contact calls to excuse the student after they’ve left.

Chronic Absenteeism

A chronic absentee as defined in (Ed. Code 60901)(c)(1) refers to “a pupil who is absent from school 10% or more of the school days in the present school year, when the total number of days the pupil is absent is divided by the total number of days the pupil is enrolled and school was actually taught in the district, excluding Saturday and Sunday.”

You will receive a letter if your student is deemed chronically absent and meets the 10% absenteeism rate. At that point, all absences will require a medical note or a visit to our school nurse (arrive by 9:30 am) to be excused.

Short Term Independent Study

If your student isn’t considered a chronic absentee or truant, they may request to be placed on Short Term Independent Study (STIS) for a minimum of 3 days up to a maximum of 14 school days once per semester. The contract should be requested a week in advance of the start date. To receive credit for STIS, students must follow the contract guidelines. Incomplete contracts will result in the STIS days being turned into unexcused absences and will count towards truancy. RHS does not grant STIS the week prior to or during finals.

Detention

Detentions must be served within 3 days of receiving them.

Monday & Thursday: 3:45pm - 4:45pm (F4) Mrs. Burton

Tuesday & Friday: 3:45pm - 4:45pm (F2) Ms. Ochoa

Wednesday: 7:45am - 8:15am (F4) Mrs. Burton

Saturday School will be held in the MUB or the library from 8:00am - 12:00pm.

Aug 23 - Sept 6 & 20 - Oct 11 & 18 - Nov 1 & 8 - Dec 6 & 13
Jan 10 & 24 - Feb 7 & 21 - Mar 14 & 28 - April 18 & 25 - May 2, 9 & 16

- Sign up for Saturday School in the attendance office.

CONSEQUENCES FOR TARDIES AND UNEXCUSED ABSENCES

Students are considered tardy if they are not present in class when the final bell rings. Tardy students are required to check in with the attendance office for a tardy pass to class. Zero period tardies are reported to the attendance secretary by the teacher and will be added to the student’s attendance record and count towards detention and truancy. Unexcused tardies over 30 minutes count towards truancy.

1st through 3rd tardy: Warning per offense 4th through 7th tardy: 30 minute detention per offense

8th through 11th tardy: 1 hour detention per offense 12th through 18th tardy: 2 hour detention per offense

19 or more: Saturday School per offense

Truancy is defined by (Ed. Code 48260) as “a student who is absent from school without a valid excuse three full days in one school year or tardy or absent for more than a 30 minute period during the school day without a valid excuse on three occasions in one school year, or any combination thereof, shall be classified as truant.”

Truancy Level ONE: Students with a total of three unexcused absences will be required to meet with their academic counselor. Parents will receive a truancy warning letter and a phone call from our Attendance Liaison. Students are required to attend Saturday School to clear unexcused absences.

Truancy Level TWO: Students with a total of six unexcused absences are deemed a “habitual truant” will be required to have a meeting with the vice principal and their parents. Parents will receive a second level truancy letter and students are required to attend Saturday School. At the discretion of the vice principal, work permits may be revoked and discussions will be had regarding a referral to the school psychologist, C.A.R.E.S county program, or a placement change to Harvest High School or a county program.

Truancy Level THREE: Students with a total of nine unexcused absences become a third level truant. Parents will receive a letter with a SARB (Student Attendance Review Board) meeting date and are required to attend the SARB hearing at the Ripon City Hall. A SARB contract is created for the student to follow for the remainder of the school year. Violation of the SARB contract may result in assigned community service hours, a second SARB hearing, work permit being revoked, or a placement change to Harvest High School or a county program. Students are required to attend Saturday School to clear unexcused absences. Students are ineligible to be placed on Short Term IS.