Attendance Procedures
Absences
Daily Attendance and class participation are essential to the success of each student at Innovation Middle School.
To report an absence, the parent or guardian must call the Attendance Office every day the student is absent at (619) 605-8000 ext. 3012 (bilingual).
Our after-hours Attendance Line is (619) 920-4522 (Text or Voice Message)
Please leave a detailed message with the following information:
- Name of the student.
- Grade level or Student I.D.
- Your relationship with the student.
- Date(s) the student will be absent.
- Reason for the absence.
- Phone number where you can be reached if there is a question about the reported absence.
Attendance Policy
School Attendance is required by law. Education Code: 48200 of the State of California requires every child 6 through 18 years of age to attend school every day and on time.
Appointments
Students are encouraged to make all medical and dental appointments before/after school hours. If a medical or dental appointment must be made during school hours, the parent or guardian should call the attendance office to arrange a BLUE SLIP (please notify the attendance office ahead of time to prevent any delays).
Student Illness While at School
Students who are ill and need to go home during the school day must first be seen by the school nurse, school health clerk, or a school administrator, who will notify the parents as needed.
Tardy Policy
All students are expected to be on time for each class. Students arriving late to class can cause the student to miss valuable learning instruction and can also be disruptive to the learning environment of others. Excessive tardiness can lower citizenship grades, affecting eligibility for campus activities, sports, and other events.
- Students who are late must report directly to the attendance kiosk at the main office to receive a tardy clearance slip to take to the classroom teacher.
- Tardy students are responsible for attending lunch detention to clear the tardiness.
- Excessive tardies will result in placement on the Loss Of Privilege list.
- Car trouble, oversleeping, and missing the bus are unexcused tardies.
Independent Study Contract
Independent Study Contracts
Independent Study Contracts - The State of California allows districts to offer students a chance to earn credit for attendance for a longer, but still temporary, absence under certain conditions. It’s called an Independent Study Contract and has a number of rules that we should follow for it to be a valid contract according to the State. ONE independent Contract may be issued ONE time per year for a minimum of 5 days and up to 14 days. Each Independent Study Contract request will be reviewed for approval on a case by case basis.
Considerations for an Independent Study Contract:
- A contract will not be created for an absence shorter than 5 days.
- Will not be granted if a student has chronic or excessive absences or if the student’s academic grades are below 2.0 Notification: The attendance office should be notified a minimum of six (6) days in advance of the planned absence. The office should have one (1) day to prepare the contract and the teachers are required by their employment contract to have five (5) days notice. If the attendance office is not given enough notification, a contract may be denied and the absences will be unexcused.
The Contract: The contract is a signed agreement by the parent and student to complete the work assigned by the teacher during the student’s absence. The work should be completed during the dates the student is absent. After the parent and student complete the contract, it goes to the administration for approval. Once approved, teachers are notified of the contract. A minimum of four (4) teachers should provide work for a contract to be viable.
Length of Absence: A contract will not be created for an absence shorter than 5 days or longer than 14 days.
The Assigned Work: A student on contract should complete the assigned work during their absence. If the work is completed on paper, the student should sign and date each page - front and back.
After the Absence: Upon the student’s first day back at school after the absence, the student should return the completed work to the attendance office, not the teacher. The Attendance Office will distribute the work to the teachers. The teachers will review the work, assign a grade, and notify the attendance office of the attendance credit earned.
Credit for Attendance: According to the teacher grading feedback, the Attendance Office will change the attendance codes in PowerSchool. If the student did not complete the assigned work, the student will not be given credit for attendance.
Credit for Grades: Once the assigned work is returned, the teachers will grade the work. Please note that if the student did not complete the assigned work while on contract, the teacher is not required to give the student more time and may not allow the work to be turned in late.
Students with Special Education Services: Please check with your student’s case manager prior to requesting an Independent Study Contract. A student with an IEP will not be provided service during the absence.
Contact Person: Carmen Gonzalez, 619-605-8000 ext 3012