Soquel High School

 Priority #1 is GOOD ATTENDANCE! Good attendance is essential for academic success; therefore, students are expected to attend classes every day, on time.

• A parent/guardian must notify the Soquel High School Attendance Office by 10:30 AM the day following the absence. It is preferred that an absence is excused the day of the absence. A maximum of three school days is allowed to clear an absence.

• The Attendance Office phone number is 429-3907. A parent/guardian may leave a message on our voice mail 24 hours a day. Students with excused absences may request make-up assignments from their teachers.

• Students who forge notes or phone calls will receive consequences (detention, etc.).

• Extended Absences: If a student must miss school five or more days due to an emergency or family trip, please call the Attendance Office in advance. The student is responsible for getting homework from each teacher in advance (not the day before leaving).

• After a student has accumulated 10 absences due to illness and/or medical appointments in one school year, any further absences due to illness may require verification by a medical practitioner.

EARLY DISMISSAL FROM CAMPUS:

• If a student must leave school for a medical appointment or other reason, the student must obtain a pass with a parent note from the Attendance Office either before school, during Brunch or Lunch. Or, a parent must make a request for a student to be dismissed in person. A parent/guardian’s approval is required. If a student leaves school without a pass, the absence is unexcused.

• Students are not to leave campus during Brunch.

• Students may leave campus at Lunch, but must be back in time for their next class. If a student does not return for period A4/B7 for any reason, she/he must receive prior approval.

UNEXCUSED ABSENCES:

• Our computerized dialer will call home nightly each time a student is marked absent, not tardy, from any class if the parent has not already excused the absence.

• Letters of notification will be mailed home to students without a valid excuse for five period absences of more than 30-minutes in any one period during the school day.

• Students who receive letters of notification for sets of five truancies of thirty minutes or more will be assigned Saturday School on specified weekends from 8:30 A.M. until 12:30 P.M.

1. A letter will be sent home after the first five period truancies. Saturday School is assigned.

2. A letter will be sent home after a total of 10 period truancies. Saturday school is assigned, and one or more of the following may occur after the second or third letter:

   1. Exclusion from extracurricular activities.

   2. Parents to attend school with student for one day.

   3. Work permits revoked/delayed.

   4. Revoke parking permit.

   5. Citation for truancy.

   6. Attendance contract

3. A letter will be sent home after a total of 15 period truancies. Saturday School is assigned, and, in addition to the above consequences, a student may be suspended for defiance.

• Continued truancy will result in a referral to the Student Attendance Review Board (SARB), which may result in a transfer to an alternative educational setting.

• A teacher may assign a failing grade for either a six-weeks or semester term to any student whose unexcused absences equal or exceed five days during the six-week grading period or 14 days during the semester.

• A student’s work permit may also be revoked because of unexcused absences. A student work permit is awarded upon the condition that students have passing grades, good attendance and no discipline issues.

18-YEAR-OLD STUDENT ATTENDANCE CONTRACTS:

• Students that are 18 years old may excuse themselves a maximum of five times per semester. Contracts are available in the Attendance Office and must be signed by the student and Mr. Mehuron, Assistant Principal. Absences will be monitored.

TARDIES:

Acknowledgement of a tardy does not constitute a valid excuse. Teachers may require detention for violation of the Tardy Policy prescribed in their class. Failure to serve detention may result in suspension and/or Saturday School for student defiance according to the Discipline Policy. Parents are welcome to call the Attendance Office at 429-3907 to check on their student’s attendance. You may also view it online at our Internet Student Information System (ISIS) website at www.soquelhs.net . You will need to provide a password along with a photo I.D. to the Front Office to gain access to ISIS.