Attendance

Good attendance is crucial to a student's academic success and in forming life-long habits and self-discipline.  The Simi Valley Unified School District attendance policy is very specific and recognizes the joint responsibility of the school district and the parents/guardians in working together to ensure good attendance patterns for all students.

Clearing Absences

Students will have 48 hours from the last day of an absence in which to clear absence(s) for the purpose of making up work or missed tests.  Students have five days to clear their absences to avoid a truancy.  Teachers are not required to give make-up work to students who have not cleared an absence.
 
A student may clear an absence by doing one of the following:

• Student may bring a note from a parent or guardian to the Attendance Office when the student returns to school.
• Parent/guardian may call the Attendance Office during school hours at (805) 306-4875 x2725 or x2726.
• Parent/guardian may call the Attendance Office before or after school hours and leave a message on the school voicemail at (805) 306-4875  Option 1
• Parent/guardian may fax a note to the Attendance Office at (805) 520-6644.
• Parent guardian may email the Attendance Office.

When emailing, writing a note, or leaving a message about an absence, please include:

• Student's name,
• Your name
• Your relationship to the student
• Dates of the absence(s)
• Reason student was absent. 
• Please sign each note and include a phone number for verification.

What is an Excused Absence?

1. Illness
2. Medical / Dental Appointment
3. Court Appearance (Verification Required)
4. Immigration 
5. Religious Holiday
6. Funeral / Death in the Immediate Family

Parents have five school days from the first day of absence to clear their absences with the Attendance Office. After five days, all uncleared absences will be recorded as truancies. Teachers are not required to give make-up work to students who have not cleared an absence.

Personal business with verified parent explanation will also be justified, excused under the following circumstances:

• Attendance at events sponsored by the school, or organizations/groups approved in advance by the Principal or Principal's designee.
• Appearance at School Attendance Review Board meetings (SARB).
• Observance of a religious holiday or ceremony, or religious retreat (retreat not to exceed 4 hours per semester).
• Caring for an ill child when the student is the custodial parent.
• Other exceptional circumstances approved by the Principal or Principal's designee.

Vacations or extended trips are NOT excused absences.
All other reasons for absences are considered unexcused.  Examples of this type of absence are: student overslept, had a flat tire, had to take care of personal or family business, family vacations, etc.  Please be aware that an unexcused absence is not the same as a truancy.  However, teachers do not have to accept make-up work from students with unexcused absences.  It is at their own discretion.

Early Check-Out

If your student must leave school early, you must fax at (805) 520-6644, send with your student, or email a SIGNED note stating the time that the student is to be released and the reason. Please include a telephone number where you can be reached for verification. After verification, the student will be issued an off-campus pass. Please allow up to 30 minutes for verification.

Please attached your hand-written note to our attendance clerks as follows:

Christina Morlano: Christina.Morlano@simivalleyusd.org

Tina Munoz: Tina.Munoz@simivalleyusd.org

Students will not be released from a parent phone call.

In-person parent/guardian check-outs are allowed. Identification is required.

Students who leave campus without permission will be marked truant and will be subject to discipline. 

Excessive Absences

Teachers may fail any student who accrues a total of seven (7) unexcused absences in any one semester.  Before assigning a failing grade to a student based on excessive unexcused absences, the school shall ensure that the student and parent/guardian have received written and/or verbal notice of the unexcused absence on the 4th unexcused absence and have been informed of the fail policy for students who accumulate seven (7) or more unexcused absences. 

When a student accumulates seven (7) unexcused absences and it has been determined that the student will fail the course, the parent/guardian shall be notified.  After the 12th absence (excused or unexcused) in a school year, a doctor's note must be presented to the Attendance Office to clear any additional absences.  Students with excessive absences will be referred to SARB (Student Attendance Review Board) and/or law enforcement.

Make-Up Work

Teachers are not required to provide make-up work or allow students to take tests missed because of absences which have been designated as "unexcused" or "truant".  Please review each teacher's course outline for specific procedures for making up work missed while absent. 

Homework requests are taken by the Health Office (805) 306-4875 x2728 for students who will be missing three or more days of school.  Students are expected to contact a fellow student for make-up assignments if their absence will be less than three days.

Lunch Passes

A Parent/Guardian and Senior Student can apply for a lunch pass if the student meets the following criteria:

• 12th Graders with a 2.0 GPA, 90% attendance, acceptable behavior
• All grades must have no more than one “F” and/or no more than one “U” from previous semester

A lunch pass is only good for lunch. If a student needs to replace a lunch pass sticker for any reason a replacement fee will apply.
The Senior Lunch form will be sent to the parent’s email listed in Aeries and must be returned from the same email address. 
Lunch passes are a privilege and administrators will revoke the lunch passes of students who do not meet eligibility criteria throughout the school year. Additionally, administrators reserve the right to revoke senior lunch passes at any time for the violation of any school rules.  Any student found with a lunch sticker who is not eligible will lose the privilege to have one during his/her senior year. A replacement sticker will only be granted one time and a fee will be assessed.

• Juniors may have the opportunity to qualify for a lunch pass at the end of the third quarter.  Academic, behavior, and attendance requirements must be met. The same process listed above must be followed by juniors wishing to obtain a lunch sticker which will be valid during the fourth quarter. 

All parents/ guardians should be aware of possible problems that may develop as a result of students going off campus during lunch:

• Students return late and may be truant to their class immediately after lunch.
• Students drive or ride with other students and accidents have occurred during lunch.
• Students have been suspended for becoming involved with alcohol and/or drugs off campus during lunch, or other offenses.

We are not saying your student will fall victim to any of the above, but we wish to inform you of the situations that concern school officials.                                                                                                                                                      
If any of the above-mentioned violations occur, the lunch pass will be immediately revoked. The administration may revoke a lunch pass at any time, at their discretion. Parents may contact the assistant principal’s office to revoke their student’s lunch pass at any time.
If your student will not be returning to school after lunch (i.e. Illness, medical appointments, etc.) A parent must notify the attendance office before the start of the next class that day in order for the absence to be cleared.

Free Period Sticker

At the beginning of each semester, a form is sent to the parent/guardians of all  students assigned to one or more free periods. Parents should review the student's schedule for which period(s) the student has been assigned as "Free.” A Free period class indicates that during this time period, the student does not have a class and may remain in the main quad or library during that period.

Upon the parent’s authorization, the student may be permitted to leave campus and will be issued an “OFF” sticker. When the free period is attached to lunch, the student with an “OFF” sticker may leave campus during lunch on those days only (regardless of grade).  Should a parent choose to decline authorization to allow the student to leave campus, the student will be required to remain on campus in the main quad or in the library.