Los Angeles Center for Enriched Studies

LACES ATTENDANCE POLICY

ATTENDANCE PHILOSOPHY

The LAUSD Board of Education and LACES staff believe student attendance and achievement are closely intertwined. Students who develop habits of good attendance are much more likely to be successful both academically and socially. If a child’s absenteeism is not addressed in its early stages, he/she is more likely to require instructional remediation and/or special services, develop a negative self-concept, experience academic failure, and fail to contribute positively to the community as an adult. Accordingly, school funding is directly dependant upon student attendance.

At LACES, students are expected to attend all classes unless they are ill or have a legal excuse for their absence. No amount of make-up work can replace the time spent in the classroom under the guidance of a teacher. Attendance is especially importance at LACES because students attend each class only three times each week. The Board of Education supports the correlation between good attendance and high achievement by strengthening the teacher’s ability to lower student grades when participation is inadequate due to poor attendance.

The District’s attendance goal is 95% at every school. This is expected of, and regularly achieved, by all LACES students. Our high attendance rate is one factor contributing to our outstanding academic achievement.

ATTENDANCE PROCEDURES

1. Students, upon returning to school, are to bring a note, written in ink, signed by a parent/guardian that includes the following information to the Attendance Office:

· Student will be assigned school service. Those not completing school service will be assigned detention for defiance.

3. Reporting to parant/guardian regarding absences: In accordance with District policy, excessive absences and/or tardies will result in the generation of a letter to parents/guardians informing them of their child’s attendance issues. The autodial phone system, when operational, will also be used to notify parents/guardians.

4. Students who need to leave school during the school day must bring a note BEFORE SCHOOL to the Attendance Office. The note, written in ink must include the following information:

No over-the-phone authorizations can be taken. A fax with the above information is acceptable.

Students who turn in their requests to leave school early should return to the Attendance Office during Nutrition or Lunch to pick-up their blue “Permit for Release of Child During School Hours” form. Unless specifically stated in the request that a student (High School only) may leave on his/her own, the parent/guardian must officially sign the student out of school in the Attendance Office.

5. In-School Absences: Teachers must be notified in advance of a student’s absence due to participation in a school activity or a field trip. The teacher sponsoring the activity or trip does this notification. If an individual students need to be absent from a class to complete work, take a test, etc. with another teacher, a request to the teacher of record for the period must be made in advance of the absence. The student(s) will be released only with permission from that teacher.

6. LACES expects all students to attend every class everyday. Students who are on campus and then walk off without permission and office approval are suspended for defiance of school rules. A child who is truant from a class but is on campus is given a detention for each class missed and the parent is notified. The second offense has the same consequences as above plus the parent must come in for a conference and a Probation Contract is signed. The third offense can result in suspension and an Opportunity Transfer to the student’s home school for violation of the Contract and continuous defiance of school rules.

1. Communication: At the beginning of each school year, information about attendance procedures, policies, and expectations are sent home to parents and are also discussed in Homeroom/Grade Level meetings with students. Throughout the year, monthly newsletters, phone contacts, and class meetings continue communication with parents and students. The autodial phone system (when operational) will be used to give attendance information.

2. Reward/Recognition of Students: Each semester students with perfect attendance are awarded a certificate. Students who attendance has improved are recognized monthly.

3. Counseling Services: Counselors work with identified students and their families to develop support plans to help them improve their attendance. District PSA Counselors also visit students’ homes to assess environmental factors and identify barriers that contribute to high absenteeism. These counselors help families and our school develop strategies aimed at improving school attendance and reduce drop-outs. The Student Success Team also meets to offer immediate assistance and suggestions for teachers and support staff to use with an individual who is exhibiting attendance problems.

4. Assignments: Teachers are asked to assign each student a homework buddy so in case of an absence, they can call their partner to get their assignment. Parents are encouraged to make sure their child has the phone number of at least one other student in each class. If an absence extends longer than one day the parent/guardian may call the Attendance Office or their child’s Counselor, who will circulate a request for assignments to all teachers. Assignments can be picked-up in the Attendance Office at the end of the day.

5. Special Attendance Homeroom: Student who have not maintained a 90% attendance rate for any 5 week grading period are placed in this Homeroom to assist them in getting back on track. They must serve 10 consecutive days of no absences and no tardies before they can return to their regular Homeroom. Students not achieving the 90% attendance rate will not be eligible to participate in any extra-curricular activities, including musical/drama performances, school dances, 8th Grade Culmination, and 12th Grade Senior Prom and Graduation.