Attendance Guidelines

Because we value every minute available to students for learning, Valley Elementary School believes it is very important that students arrive to school on time, and attend school every day unless they are sick, have a doctor’s appointment, or are attending to a family emergency. We believe that regular attendance and punctuality are necessary for high achievement and future success. Every absence or tardy can interfere with a child’s progress. PUSD also loses approximately $30 each day a student is absent from school whether excused or unexcused. This directly affects school programs.

Students who are absent without a valid excuse three times in one school year are considered truant. When this happens, a truancy letter is sent to the parents and a copy is forwarded to the Poway Unified School District Student Discipline and Attendance Office. If a formal notification is made three times, the student and his or her parents are referred to the District School Attendance Review Board (SARB) which then has the authority to refer the student to the juvenile justice system.

Students who are absent 12 full days in one school year with an excuse will receive an attendance letter. If excused absences continue past 16 and 20 days the student and or his parents are referred to the District School Attendance Review Team to set up an attendance plan.

The purpose of this notification is to provide full disclosure about the legal responsibility all parents have to make sure their children attend school on time, every day. Thank you for your cooperation as we work together to provide your children with the finest education

TARDIES: Like absences, tardies affect classroom learning time and should be avoided. School begins at 8:00 with the line-up bell at 7:55. Students who arrive after 8:05 must check in through the office and receive a tardy slip. Medical appointments are considered excused tardies (please provide doctor’s note).

 

 

Criteria For Healthy School Attendance

Good Health is critical for the learning process to take place. It is for this reason that students who are too ill to participate in normal activities should be excluded from school attendance. Not only are they unable to derive any benefits from the educational process when ill, but they may also be infecting other children and thus preventing them from attending school.

It is for the above reasons that the following criteria for school attendance will be followed.

1. In general, students who are too ill to participate in normal activities and/or adequately function in the classroom setting should be excluded from school attendance.

2. Students with an oral temperature of 101o or above, with no other symptoms, should be excluded until the temperature returns to normal for at least 24 hours.

3. Student with persistent vomiting should be excluded until the vomiting has stopped for at least 24 hours.

4. Students with diarrhea should be excluded until diarrhea has ceased for at least 24 hours.

5. Students with suspected contagious disease (i.e., rash) should be excluded until released by medical care service (preferably in writing), or until symptoms are no longer present.

6. Students with known contagious diseases should have written approval to return to school.

7. Students who have undergone a medical procedure requiring general anesthesia should stay home at least 24 hours.

8. Students with upper respiratory infections (symptoms: persistent nasal discharge that is purulent or discolored, oral temperature 101o F or above ["under the arm" axillary temperature 100oF or above], productive cough, excessive coughing) should stay at home until all symptoms are gone for 24 hours or a written medical release is obtained.

9. Students receiving antibiotic medication may attend school when they have been taking the medicine for 24 hours.

If medicine is needed at school, written physician and parent approval is required.
The medication procedures are outlined HERE.
Authorization for Medication Administration Form (pdf - may be printed)
Potential Anaphylactic Reaction Form (pdf - may be printed)