ATTENDANCE OFFICE – 496-6998

It is highly recommended that parents utilize the district “ParentConnect” website to monitor their student’s attendance on a regular basis. You may contact TOHS office manager for Log-on information (zangle.conejo.k12.ca.us)

All absences must be reported by phone or in person. Your call may not necessarily constitute an excused absence or tardy.  Please refer to Classification below for clarification.

ATTENDANCE PROCEDURES:  The Attendance Office hours are 7:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M.  The Attendance Office phone number is: 496-6998.  An answering machine is available to receive calls any time the office is closed.  You may leave a message in Spanish by calling 496-6998, press option # 4.  “Para dejar mensaje en Espanol llame al 496-6998 y oprima el numero 4.”
If you feel a teacher has mistakenly marked your student absent, please contact that teacher directly, by calling the Main Office at 495-7491.

IMPORTANCE OF REGULAR ATTENDANCE:  Regular attendance in all classes is a critical part of the learning process at TOHS.  Students are expected to attend all classes. Absences, whether excused or truant, can affect a student’s performance and average due to loss of instructional time.

CLASSIFICATION OF ABSENCES:
EXCUSED: An absence or late arrival is excused, according to California State law when:
a.  Illness     b.  Medical/ Dental Appointment      c.  Funeral/
Immediate family member (1 day in CA/ 3 days out of state)
Excused with Prior Permission: An absence due to religious instruction or retreat, family business, college visit, or courtroom appearance may be excused ONLY if a written request is submitted to the attendance office ONE WEEK PRIOR to the date(s) of absence.  Absences in this category are excused pending approval by the Dean of Attendance.

TRUANT: An absence or late arrival is considered truant when it does not meet the state legal requirements for an excused absence as stated above, REGARDLESS OF PARENT APPROVAL.

Absences are no longer excused due to “Personal” reasons.

ALL DAY ABSENCES:

1. To report an absence, parents are asked to call the Attendance Office between 7A.M. and 3P.M.  An answering machine is available to receive calls after hours and at any time the school is closed.
2. Upon returning to school after an all day absence, STUDENTS ARE TO REPORT DIRECTLY TO THEIR CLASSES.
3. Parent/guardian must call the Attendance Office within    

        3 SCHOOL  DAYS to clear an all day absence. If the absence is not
        cleared within 3 school days, it will be classified as TRUANT.

1. The Attendance Office will notify parents of any un-cleared absence between the hours of 5:00 P.M. and 9:00 P.M. on the day the absence occurs.

LATE ARRIVAL: 
1.     Parents must call the Attendance Office within 3 school days to report the reason for late arrival.

1. Upon arrival at school, students ARE REQUIRED to report to the ATTENDANCE OFFICE.

LEAVING EARLY:

1. Parents are to call the Attendance Office with the reason and time of departure.
2. It is the student’s responsibility to pick up a pass in the Attendance Office before school, during passing periods, at break time or lunch so that he/she is ready to leave on time.  The office staff CANNOT, for any reason, call a student out of class unless AUTHORIZED BY AN ADMINISTRATOR. 
3. No student may leave the campus BEFORE checking out through the office.  Students who do so may be assigned a Saturday Work Study, and will be given a truancy for each class missed.  The truancy WILL NOT be cleared (even if a parent calls after the fact).

LUNCH DEPARTURES:

1. Students WITHOUT an off campus pass leaving between 11:50 and 12:25 and returning, may leave only when met in the office by a parent/guardian or other adult as designated by the parent/guardian.  If circumstances preclude physically coming into the office, please be sure to relay this information at the time of the call as it will require Administrative approval.

        2.     After lunch absences by students WITH an off campus pass cannot be cleared after 3 school days.
        3.     Parents should call the Attendance Office as soon as possible if a student becomes ill while off campus and will not be returning.
        4.     Students who choose to leave campus for lunch assume FULL RESPONSIBILITY for RETURNING PROMPTLY.  Depending upon the time of late arrival, an unexcused tardy or absence will be assigned.

EIGHTEEN-YEAR-OLD RULES:  Once a student signs the Eighteen-year-old Contract the student may call themselves out with the same rules that apply to any parent/guardian, for a maximum of THREE TIMES PER MONTH.  Per the Eighteen-year-old contract a parent/guardian May Not excuse absences from school after the contract is signed. 

ABSENCES RELATED TO SCHOOL ACTIVITIES:  The sponsor of the activity will report students participating to the attendance office.

EMERGENCY CARDS:  Only those individuals listed as parent/guardian on the emergency card are authorized to report the students' late arrival, all day absence, or request early dismissal.  Alternate names are used in case of emergency ONLY.

TRUANCY POLICY:  (Semester Classes)
A student is truant when he/she receives an unauthorized departure from school/ class, if an absence is not cleared within 3 school days, or the absence is not excused per state guidelines. Seven truancies from any one period may result in the student being removed from that period with an “F” grade.  Students who are truant shall not receive credit for makeup work. 
Consequences for truancy: 
5th Offense:   Administrator will: Assign Saturday Work Study/ Place on contract
7th Offense:   Administrator will: Notify Parents/ Possible drop/fail from class                                                                    
TARDY POLICY:  (Semester Classes)
Students are expected to be in their assigned seats with all necessary materials ready to begin work when the tardy bell rings.  Seven tardies to any one period may result in the student being removed from the class with an “F” grade.  A student who is late by more than THIRTY (30) minutes will be issued an absence.

Consequences for tardiness:                                                                                                                           
3rd Offense:   Teacher should notify parent
5th Offense:   Administrator will: assign Saturday work study/ Place on contract                
7th Offense:   Administrator will: Notify Parents/ Possible drop/fail from class
                         
EXCESSIVE ABSENCE POLICY:
Students with an absence rate of 20% or more, may be referred to the School Attendance Review Board (SARB).

EXCESSIVE ILLNESS POLICY:
Per District policy, if a student misses 10 or more days of school due to illness or doctor appointments: parents may be required to provide a doctor’s note for each additional absence from school.
                                                                               
DRIVER'S EDUCATION CLASS:  Attendance will be based on positive seat time.  Any student who misses four (4) hours will be dropped from the class.  There will be no exceptions made.

OFF CAMPUS LUNCH PASSES:  Off campus passes (OCP) are a privilege provided to juniors and seniors only.  To be eligible, a student must have had at least a 2.0 grade point average and no more than twelve (12) periods TOTAL unexcused tardies, truancies, or any combination thereof during the previous semester.  Once issued, the pass may be revoked if a student receives four (4) unexcused tardies, truancies, or any combination thereof to his/her class following the lunch hour. Passes may be replaced at the Campus Security Office for a fee of $15.00 each.  Students may do this before school, after school or during lunch only. Any student who attempts to leave campus without a valid OCP will receive a Saturday Work Study. Any student benefiting from a forged or “loaned” OCP will receive a Saturday Work Study. All students involved in the above mentioned violations will lose their Off-Campus Pass for the remainder of the school year. Students who choose to leave campus for lunch assume FULL RESPONSIBILITY for RETURNING PROMPTLY. Dependent upon the times of late arrival, an unexcused tardy or absence will be assigned. After lunch absences cannot be cleared after 3 school days.

ATTENDANCE CERTIFICATION for OUTDOOR SCHOOL, PARTICIPATION IN ASB ACTIVITIES (e.g., running for office, Powder Puff), WORK PERMIT ISSUANCE:
Several items require the attendance officer’s certification of satisfactory attendance.  The attendance officer will NOT certify a student’s attendance for participation if a student has accumulated twelve (12) periods TOTAL unexcused tardies, truancies or any combination thereof.  The same criteria will generally apply to students applying for work permits or for applications to permit work in the entertainment industry.

Attendance Office FAQ

Regular, punctual attendance directly correlates to academic performance.  Good attendance is a shared responsibility between the student and parent.  We expect parents to send their children to school each day on time and to call in any absence within 3 school days. We expect students to arrive at each class on time, to stay at school, and to discuss attendance issues with their parents. You may refer to TOHS.org for the full student handbook. 

How does the office communicate attendance issues to parents?

1. Automated phone call system—calls home each night that a student has been marked absent if the absence hasn’t already been cleared by the parent/guardian.
2. Automated phone call system—calls home each night that a student has been marked tardy to class.
3. Parents will be mailed copies of Saturday School assignments and attendance contracts.
4. Student attendance information can be viewed on Zangle ParentConnect.

What is “truancy?”

1. All unexcused absences are classified as “truant.”  This is different than in past years.  In the past, uncleared absences were labeled as “unexcused.”  A student can also be considered “truant” if they are more than 30 minutes late to a class for unexcused reasons.  Many parents object to the term “truant” because they feel it implies there child is a juvenile delinquent, but we do not attach any such meaning to the term.

What absences can be excused?

1. Both California and school district policies state that the following absences can be cleared with a phone call from a parent or guardian: student illness, student medical appointment, and/or student attending a funeral for a close family member.
2. The phone call must be received within 3 school days after your child returns to school.

Can absences for other reasons be excused?

1. Absence for family business, court appearance, or college visits may be excused ONLY when a parent submits a written request one week PRIOR to the anticipated absence and receives approval from the Dean of Attendance.
2. Approval will be based on the student’s attendance record, academic progress, and reason for absence.
3. If this procedure is not followed, the absence will be considered truant.

What are the eligibility requirements for an Off-Campus Pass (OCP)?

1. The privilege to leave campus at lunch is reserved for juniors and seniors who meet the following requirements for the previous semester:
2. 2.0 GPA or higher and
3. No more than 12 period truancies or unexcused tardies. 
4. Thus, the OCP eligibility list for the fall 2008 will be determined by the student’s attendance record and grades from the spring 2007 semester.

What are the consequences for truancies or tardies:

1. A Saturday Work Study (SWS) will be assigned at 5 truancies or tardies to a single class.
2. May be drop/failed from a class after 7 truancies or tardies.

How can parents help?

• Be proactive: check your child’s attendance regularly through the Zangle ParentConnect website.  Contact the TOHS office if you need a PIN or password.
• When you receive an automated phone call regarding an absence, call the TOHS attendance line at 805-496-6998 immediately to clear an absence. The line accepts messages 24 hours a day including weekends.
• If you believe a teacher has mistakenly marked your child absent, please contact that teacher directly.
• We want your child in school everyday that he/she is medically able to do so.  Keep your child home if he/she has a fever or is vomiting.  Help your child differentiate between not feeling like coming to school and being too sick to attend school.