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ATTENDANCE
The importance of regular attendance cannot be overemphasized! Students who attend school regularly and who arrive on time enhance their learning experience and develop a stronger sense of responsibility. When your student is absent, late, or leaves early, important instructional concepts and lessons are missed. Educational research indicates a direct relationship between student attendance and student achievement.
ABSENCES
Please call the Main Office when your student is absent from school at 909-820-7933. You can also send a written note explaining the absence. Illness or injury, a doctor or dental appointment, attendance at a funeral of an immediate family member, or a medical quarantine are the only acceptable "excused absences" identified in the Education Code. We encourage you to schedule your child’s medical and dental appointments when school is not in session or outside of regular school hours. If this is not possible, please remember your students must be signed out from the Main Office.
Illness
If your child is sick, please keep them home for the day. It is usually best to keep children home until they have been symptom-free for at least 24 hours. When your child is absent, you must call the school office or send a doctor’s note within 24 hours of the absence to advise the office of the reason for their absence. Maintaining communication with our office regarding absences is very important!
Excessive Attendance Issues
Excessive tardiness and/or absences will prompt an attendance letter. If you receive the third Attendance Letter, you MUST come in for a meeting with an administrator to discuss your child’s attendance. Students with continued excessive absences and late arrivals will be referred to the Student Attendance Support Panel (SASP) with the district Child Welfare and Attendance office. Our goal is to ensure that students are present at school so that they can adequately learn the curriculum for the school year. Absences totaling 5% or more of the attended school days is considered excessive. Attendance letters are automatically generated and mailed after 3, 6, and 9 absences.
Please note the following board regulations regarding attendance:
Truant
Education Code Section 48260(a) defines a “truant” as “Any pupil subject to compulsory full-time education or to compulsory continuing education who is absent from school without valid excuse three full days or tardy or absent 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, is a truant and shall be reported to the attendance supervisor or superintendent of the school district.”
Education Code Section 48260.5 states that districts, upon a student’s initial classification as a truant, must notify the student’s parents or guardian by using the most cost effective method possible, which may include electronic mail or a telephone call:
* That the student is truant
* That the parent or guardian is obligated to compel the attendance of the student at school
* That parents or guardians who fail to meet this obligation may be guilty of an infraction and subject to prosecution pursuant to Education Code Section 48290.
Habitual Truant
Education Code Section 48262 – “Any pupil is deemed a habitual truant who has been reported as a truant three or more times per school year, provided that no pupil shall be deemed a habitual truant unless an appropriate district officer or employee has made a conscientious effort to hold at least one conference with a parent or guardian of the pupil and the pupil himself/herself, after the filing of either of the reports required by Section 48260 or Section 48261. For the purposes of this section, a conscientious effort means attempting to communicate with the parents of the pupil at least once using the most cost-effective method possible, which may include electronic mail or a telephone call.” (Amend. Stats. 19976, Ch. 1010)
Education Code 48264.5 - states “Any minor who is required to be reported as a truant pursuant to Section 48260 or 4826 may be required to attend makeup classes conducted on one day of a weekend pursuant to subdivision (c) of Section 37223. If attendance does not improve students may receive a written warning from law enforcement, be referred to the district Student Attendance Review Panel (SASP), required to attend a county truant prevention class, and/or be adjudged a ward of the courts for repeated truancy. Students who fail to complete assigned actions subject their parents to one or more progressive consequences up to and including a fine of $2000 and or jail time.
STEP-UP Saturday School (Rialto USD Attendance Recovery Program)
Rialto USD features STEP-UP (Saturday Tutorial Enrichment Preparation – Upward Program) in an effort to provide students with an opportunity to recover instructional time. STEP-UP sessions will include instruction in language arts, mathematics, and other required subject areas. Students who attend a STEP-UP session will recover (erase) an absence that has already occurred, and thus, may still earn perfect attendance recognition for each trimester and the entire school year!
When your child is eligible to attend STEP UP, they will receive a STEP UP letter. All letters must be signed and returned to your child’s teacher no later than the Thursday before the Saturday STEP UP session. Absences recovered through Saturday STEP UP count towards perfect attendance awards if recovered at least 2 weeks before the next awards assembly. Late Arrivals and Early Releases cannot be made up through STEP UP and affect perfect attendance awards.
Lunch will be provided for students. Parents MUST notify the office by the Wednesday prior to the Saturday session of your request for a school-provided lunch.
It is expected that students attending the Saturday session will arrive on time and cooperate during the session. Please note that all regular school rules, including the dress code, will be enforced. If there is any violation of the school rules or policies during STEP-UP Sessions, a student may lose their opportunity to attend.
The elementary STEP-UP dates will be sent home to parents when they have been established by the school district. If there are any changes in dates, the office will inform parents throughout the year. We urge you to take advantage of this opportunity. With your support, we can further instill the importance of learning and attendance in our students.
Independent Study
If you know in advance your child will be out of school for three (3) or more days due to a family emergency, COVID systems, or an unforeseen event, you may request an Independent Study contract. If possible, please request Independent Study Contracts at least two weeks in advance of the expected absence. The maximum amount of time a student can be placed on short-term Independent Study is fourteen (14) days cumulative, for the entire academic year.
Your child will receive schoolwork that must be completed and turned in upon return, in order to receive full attendance credit for the work and time missed from school. Vacation plans do not qualify for Independent Study. Please plan family vacations when school is not in session.
