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Attendance

Report an Absence

To report an absence, please call the GMS attendance line: 951-699-0083

You can also email Mrs. Kiester at lkiester@tvusd.us with the following information: 

    • Parent's/Guardian's name
    • Student's first and last name - spell the last name for us, please.
    • Student's grade
    • Reason for the absence
    • Date of the absence
    • A phone number where you can be reached if we have any questions

All absences should be called in by 2:00 pm each day of the student's absence.

When it is Necessary to Leave School Early

 

When it is necessary for a student to leave during the school day, the follow the procedure below:

Our Attendance Office values teacher instruction time and we do not call into rooms to release students from class. Please understand that when you come into our office it will take at least 20 minutes for us to get your student from class. It is much quicker and easier for you if you call at least an hour ahead of the time you need your student released early . 

If the early release request is a last minute appointment, calling ahead can expedite the process for you. (Even if it is not the requested hour ahead of time.)

  • Call with plenty of time for us to get your student, at least an hour. It can take time to find them if the class is out of their room.
  • Parent/Guardian calls the school phone number (not the 24 Hour Attendance Line) @ 699-0080. Ask for or connect to the Attendance Office. If you get connected to a voice mail please leave a message. We do check our messages frequently.
  • Leave the student's name, spell the last name
  • Your relationship to the student
  • The time you need the student released
  • The reason they need to leave
  • Phone number where we can reach you if needed

Or…

  • A note can be sent with the student to bring to the Attendance Office. Have the student bring the note to the Attendance Office before school, at Break/Lunch or between classes. Students are not to bring notes to the Attendance Office during class time.

Upon receipt of either of the above the student will be given an Off Campus Pass. Students cannot leave without an Off Campus Pass. Doing so will result in a Truancy and a referral to Administration. A parent phone call received after the fact cannot clear the Truant mark or clear from discipline that the student may receive.

 

Tardies

Parents are not required to accompany their student into the office when they are late. If you wish to clear your student’s tardy, you can either call the office or send a note in with your student with the reason for the tardy.  

If the tardy was due to a medical/dental appointment, please ask the Doctor to provide a note to excuse the tardy. 

Tardiness falls into 3 categories:

  1. Tardy to school, under 30 minutes – Students should report to the attendance desk in the front office if they arrive to school after the bell rings.  If their arrival is between 8:00am and 8:30am, the tardy will be considered unexcused unless the student has a note from a parent or medical professional and the reason for the tardy falls under the Ed Code, (see above under Absences)

  2. Tardy to school, over 30 minutes – Parent note/phone call or a medical note is required to clear or excuse a tardy 30 minutes or more after the start of the school day. If parent contact is not made, the tardy will be considered truancy.

  3. Tardy to class – students are to be in their seat when the class bell rings.  If they are not, the teacher will mark them tardy.                                                                                                                                                                                                         

EXCESSIVE TARDIES/TARDY DETENTION  

Students who have recurring tardies to any period will have disciplinary consequences.  Each time a student accrues 5 tardies during their first period or 3 tardies in period 2 - 7,  they will be assigned detention and demerits are added to the student’s disciplinary record.  Excessive tardies throughout the semester will also result in further disciplinary consequences. 

Doctor / Dentist Notes

It is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED that you ask for a Doctor's note each time your student misses class due to a medical appointment. Additionally, medical notes may be required for frequent medical appointments or for recurring illness absences. Notes from Parents/Guardians addressing attendance issues are accepted. Always include a phone number on all notes so you can be reached should we have a question. Each note is evaluated for authenticity. If there are any questions regarding a note then a phone call will be made to a parent. In the event a parent cannot be reached the note is considered invalid until the call is returned and the note is verified.

The Attendance Office will randomly verify notes for authenticity.

If the Attendance Office has not received notification from a parent/guardian within 3 days after an absence that absence will then be marked as a Truant absence.

Parents/Guardians have 15 days from the date of the initial absence to change the Truant mark to the correct reason for the absence (ie: illness, doctor, dental, personal business, college visits, etc.). To change the mark from Truant to the actual reason of absence the parent or guardian needs to do one of the following:

  • Call the 24 Hour Line to report the absence - (951) 294-6451
  • Send in a note with the student to give the Office briefly explaining the reason for the absence
  • Come into the Attendance Office to give the reason for the absence
 

**It should be noted that calling to CLEAR the absence does not necessarily EXCUSE the absence.  

Under the CA Education code, absences are most commonly excused only for the following reasons: 

  1. Personal Illness.

  2. Quarantine under the direction of a county or city health officer.

  3. Medical, dental, optometrical or chiropractic appointment.

  4. Attendance at funeral services for a member of the immediate family.  Limited to one day if the service is conducted in CA, three days if it is out of State.

  5. Most other reasons are considered Personal Business and are UNEXCUSED according to the State of CA.  IF you feel you have an extenuating circumstance that should be considered excused, please contact the attendance office to discuss with Mrs. Kiester.

 

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Attendance Makes A Difference!

 
One of TVUSD’s goals is for all students to maintain an acceptable attendance rate of 96% or higher.  In order to do this, a student must have no more than seven total absences throughout the entire school year.  That means each student can have no more than one absence for every 25 instructional days of school.  We know that maintaining good attendance is directly tied to student achievement, which is why we believe that when our students attend school they will achieve. 

 For further information regarding TVUSD's attendance policies, please click here to be directed to the CA and TVUSD Attendance Policies webpage.

Elementary Parents and Students - Did you know?

  • Starting in kindergarten, too many absences can cause children to fall behind in school.
  • Missing 10 percent (or about 18 days) can make it harder to learn to read.
  • Students can still fall behind if they miss just a day or two days every few weeks.
  • Being late to school may lead to poor attendance.
  • Absences can affect the whole classroom if the teacher has to slow down learning to help children catch up.
  • Missing two or more days a month will make your child chronically absent.
  • Only 17% of kids who are chronically absent in kindergarten and 1st grade can read at grade level after 3rd grade.
 
Attending school regularly helps children feel better about school—and themselves. Start building this habit in preschool so they learn right away that going to school on time, every day is important. Good attendance will help children do well in high school, college, and at work.
 
What you can do... 
  • Set a regular bedtime and morning routine.
  • Lay out clothes and pack backpacks the night before.
  • Find out what day school starts and make sure your child has the required shots.
  • Introduce your child to his/her teachers and classmates before school starts to help him/her transition.
  • Don’t let your child stay home unless he/she is truly sick. Keep in mind complaints of a stomach ache or a headache can be a sign of anxiety and not a reason to stay home.
  • If your child seems anxious about going to school, talk to teachers, school counselors, or other parents for advice on how to make him/her feel comfortable and excited about learning.
  • Develop backup plans for getting to school if something comes up. Call on a family member, a neighbor, or another parent.
  • Avoid medical appointments during the school day if possible.

Middle/High School Parents and Students - Did you know?

  • Students should miss no more than 7 days of school each year to stay engaged, successful and on track to graduation.
  • Absences can be a sign that a student is losing interest in school, struggling with school work, dealing with a bully or facing some other potentially serious difficulty.
  • By 6th grade, absenteeism is one of three signs that a student may drop out of high school.
  • By 9th grade, regular and high attendance is a better predictor of graduation rates than 88th-grade test scores.
  • Missing 10 percent, or about 18 days, of the school year can drastically affect a student’s academic success.
  • Attendance is an important life skill that will help your child graduate from college and keep a job

What you can do...
 
Make school attendance a priority
  • Talk about the importance of showing up to school everyday, make that the expectation.
  • Help your child maintain daily routines, such as finishing homework and getting a good night’s sleep.
  • Try not to schedule dental and medical appointments during the school day. 
  • Don’t let your child stay home unless truly sick. 
  • Complaints of headaches or stomach aches may be signs of anxiety 

Help your teen stay engaged
  • Find out if your child feels engaged by his classes and feels safe from bullies and other threats. Make sure he/she is not missing class because of behavioral issues and school discipline policies. If any of these are problems, work with your school.
  • Stay on top of academic progress and seek help from teachers or counselor if necessary. Make sure teachers know how to contact you.
  • Stay on top of your child’s social contacts. Peer pressure can lead to skipping school, while students without many friends can feel isolated.
  • Encourage meaningful after school activities, including sports and clubs

Communicate with the school
  • Know the school’s attendance policy – incentives and penalties
  • Talk to teachers if you notice sudden changes in behavior. These could be tied to something going on at school.
  • Check on your child’s attendance to be sure absences are not piling up.
  • Ask for help from school officials, after school programs, other parents or community agencies if you’re having trouble getting your child to school.