Attendance-related Policies

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Attendance​

 

As a public school, M.M.C.A. is required by law to enforce California’s compulsory attendance laws. Attendance is VITAL to your child’s success in school. State-approved “excused” absences include: illness, medical appointments, religious holidays, religious ceremonies, and bereavement purposes. Pretty much everything else is considered an “unexcused” absence. Parents of students with more than three (3) unexcused absences may receive Truancy warning letters from the County Superintendent of Schools.

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If your child is going to be absent, please call 916-630-1510, ext. 302 or email tfernandes@mmcharter.org. During business hours, ask for the attendance line. After business hours, please call and press the attendance line extension. 

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Tardy Policy

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Students arriving to school after their scheduled start time of 8:30 am, must be signed in by their parents in the office. Tardies in excess of 30 minutes are also a part of the state’s compulsory attendance law. Parents of students with more than (3) unexcused tardies may also receive Truancy warning letters from the County Superintendent of Schools.

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Chronic Absenteeism / Truancy

 

California Education Code, Section 48260, states:  “Any pupil subject to compulsory full time education who is absent from school without valid excuse more than three (3) days or tardy in excess of 30 minutes on each of more than three (3) days in one school year is a truant and shall be reported to the superintendent of the school district.”  Additionally, excessive excused absences (more than 10) qualifies a student as being 'chronically absent', and could lead to truancy notifications as well.

 

For parents of students with more than three (3) unexcused absences and/or more than (3) unexcused tardies:

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1. The school will send a truancy warning letter, and CC the letter in the student’s cumulative file;

2. If truancy issues continue, a second notice will be sent and the County Superintendent of Schools will be informed. 

3. If truancy continues, the student will be referred for a SARB Hearing (School Attendance Review Board).

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Independent Study

If you know your child is going to be absent from school in advance or if the absence is going to be extended (3 days or more), please consider enrolling your child in M.M.C.A.’s Independent Study program. For more information about Independent Study, please email Tamara Fernandes at tfernandes@mmcharter.org.  Please let you child’s teachers know in advance of your child’s absence. We have new Independent Study guidelines where teachers need to prepare the packets to meet the needs of your child.

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Early-Outs

If your child needs to leave school early, an adult authorized to pick-up the child must sign the child out at the front office.