Parent Resources

Attendance 

Regular attendance, and arriving at school on time, is essential to a student’s success in school. The state of California does require verification of absences. Legally excused absences include: 1 )illness; 2) medical appointment with a doctor/dental note; 3) court appearances where the child is required to be present; and 4) funeral services of an immediate family member; 1 day in state and 3 days out-of-state. 

If it is necessary for your child to miss school for any reason, please clear the absence.

How to Clear and Absence at Rancho Vista Elementary

Step 1: Activate your ParentSquare account using the email invite that was sent to you. 

Step 2: Access Your ParentSquare Dashboard -Once you activate your account, login using your email and password or download the ParentSquare app to access the main dashboard. 

Step 3: Locate the Attendance Notice in the "Alerts and Notices" section. When your child is absent or tardy, a notice will appear on your ParentSquare dashboard. 

Step 4: Respond to notice within the ParentSquare Dashboard or app. Click the "Send Note to School" link to provide your reason for your student's absence or tardiness. This note will be sent to your school's attendance office. 

Another way to clear an absence is to include the following: your name, your student's name, grade, school, and reason for the absence in your message via 

Let's Talk Chat: westside.k12.ca.us/lets-talk Email: rv.attendance@westside.k12.ca.us or call at (661) 974-8578

ABSENCES MUST BE EXCUSED WITHIN FOUR SCHOOL DAYS 

Attendance-Excessive Absences and Tardies 

Three unexcused absences or tardies in excess of thirty minutes constitute truancy (Ed Code, #484631). Any child having 30 absences in a year, whether excused or not, will automatically be considered for retention. Students with more than 10 absences may not be referred to tutoring or Student Study Team (SST) meetings. We work within the following to monitor attendance: 

A2A-Attention to Attendance Program 

A2A is an attendance program that generates letters based upon a student’s unverified or unexcused absences. Letters are sent home after 3 unverified or unexcused absences and 6 unexcused or unverified absences. An attendance meeting will be scheduled with administration after 6 unverified or unexcused absences. A 3rd letter will be sent home after 10 

Unverified or unexcused absences and if no improvement is seen and a referral to the School Attendance Review Team (SART)  will be sent and a contract is assigned.  A referral to  SARB (Student Attendance Review Board) meeting will be scheduled at the District Office. Chronic absenteeism will be closely monitored including home visits and wellness checks. 

Attendance-Independent Study 

The parent is required to give advance notice to the school office in order to be excused for any type of absence and/or to be placed on the Independent Study Program. Students must be absent 5 days or more to qualify for Independent Study and may not exceed a total of 14 days for the entire school year.  Parents are to notify the office and the teacher a minimum of 5 days before the child is to go out on absence due to Independent Study. This will provide the teacher with adequate time to prepare work. An Independent Study Contract must be signed before it can become effective.  In order for Independent Study to be counted, all work must be completed and returned the day the student returns to school, otherwise all days missed will be counted as unexcused absences and the student will receive no credit for all work. The teacher arranges classwork equivalent to a school day’s work for the student to complete. Independent Study is not for students absent due to illness. Independent Study will be granted at the discretion of the school principal and the classroom teacher. IS during state testing and district benchmarks will NOT be approved. 

Attendance-Tardy Policy 

Students are considered tardy if not in the classroom when school begins. Prompt arrival at school is expected of all students. Late arrival disrupts class and causes loss of instructional time. Any child who arrives at school later than the opening class time is tardy (see Arrival and Dismissal). Every 3 tardies that a student acquires will result in a detention. Three tardies in excess of 30 minutes each are equal to one day of absence. 

Attendance-Reverse Tardy Policy 

If parents need to pick up their child early from school, they can report to the front office for early release. Early release is greatly discouraged as it takes away from a child’s education and the education of the rest of the class as the teacher prepares that child to leave early. Parents are expected and encouraged to make every effort to schedule doctor and dentist appointments outside of school hours. An early release is viewed as a reverse tardy. We DO NOT allow early release after 1:30 pm unless a parent has an appointment card or note from their doctor (or other professional) noting the need for that early release. 

 

The Westside Union School District has the primary responsibility for compliance with federal and state laws and regulations. We have established Uniform Complaint Procedures (UCP) to address allegations of unlawful discrimination, harassment, intimidation, and bullying, and complaints alleging violation of state or federal laws governing educational programs, the charging of unlawful pupil fees and the non-compliance of our Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP).

 

Uniform Complaint Procedures