It’s The Law!

SART: The School Attendance Review Team (SART) process begins at the school site to resolve absence and/or behavioral patterns.  It takes place before the SARB.   Failure to abide by the intervention plan developed here will result in a referral to the SARB process.  The SART contract will be monitored for 15, 30 and 45 days.

SARB: The School Attendance/Behavior Review Board (SARB) process begins when the school site identifies an attendance and/or behavioral concern.  A series of intervention steps will take place, concluding with the district level SARB Meeting, or in some cases referral and/or prosecution by the Orange County District Attorney’s Office.  If the absence/behavioral pattern has not improved, the SARB will take place at the Huntington Beach Police Department. 

ATTENDANCE POLICY: The State of California’s attendance policy is not negotiable.

The HBCSD has determined that the SART process will begin with:

• 3 or more unexcused absences
• 10 or more excused absences
• 6 or more over 30 minute tardies
• 3 or more under 30 minute tardies
• 6 or more period tardies
• 1 or more “ditching” period/day long truancies

Parent/School/Student Attendance Responsibilities:

• Teachers will report excessive period absences to attendance office.
• Students should attend school daily arriving no earlier than 8:40 and proceed to their classroom at 8:45.
• Students should be in their seat and ready to work when the tardy bell sounds for every period.
• Students are to leave campus at the day’s end and go home or go to other supervised arrangements.
• Parents/guardians are responsible to have their children attend school daily until the age of 16.
• Parents have the right to call the Huntington Beach Police Dept. if their child refuses to attend school.
• Absences for family trips/visits, vacations, lack of motivation or extended weekends are discouraged.
• All absences will be counted on attendance records.
• Schools no longer receive funding for students who are absent, but will still pursue excessive absences or tardies.

Recognition:  Extenuating circumstances may affect a student’s attendance at school.  If your child’s attendance becomes a matter of concern, please call the principal so that we may mutually problem solve to improve student attendance.

Recommendation:  If your child does not have a fever or is not apparently ill, please encourage them to attend school.  Frequently, when children get to school and involved in their work, they feel better.  Otherwise, the student may go to the nurse’s office to be sent home.

Absence Procedures

Attendance is taken during first period. Students absent for any reason are required to bring a note to the Attendance Office the following day signed by a parent explaining the reason for the absence. A parent phone call to the Attendance Office is also encouraged on the day of the student’s absence.  We also have an online absence reporting form.

Lora Cannon, Attendance Clerk | (714) 536-7507 ext.4086

Parent calls/notes for excused absences should include:

• The date of the absence
• The first and last name of the student
• The reason for the absence
• The parent’s name/ signature

Tardy Procedure

Students who come to school after 8:58 a.m. must report to the Attendance Office to get an admit slip for class.  A note or telephone call is required from a parent or guardian every time a student is tardy. Students who arrive late during the first 5 minutes (8:53-8:58 a.m.) should proceed directly to class to be marked tardy by teacher.

Leaving School Early

Whenever students must leave school early, whether or not they will return to school that day, they should bring a note regarding the early dismissal to the Attendance Office before first period. The note must be signed by the parent and indicate the time the student is to be dismissed, the reason for the early dismissal, and the name of the person who will be picking the student up from the office. That person must be the parent or one of the adult designees on the student’s emergency card. At the early dismissal time, the adult must come to the office and sign the student out.

Absence-related Make Up Work

The student is responsible for obtaining make up work from the teachers upon returning to school and for following each teacher’s make-up policy.  Also, at the discretion of the teacher, the opportunity to make up schoolwork missed may be given.  Students are encouraged to contact a homework “buddy” to stay current with assignments.  Parents may request homework through Canvas, email or by contacting the office on the third consecutive day of absence.