Attendance

Please contact 707-431-3425 to report an absence or obtain attendance information.

HHS Attendance Requirements: Students with good attendance records generally achieve higher grades, enjoy school more and are more employable after leaving high school. Students are required to attend classes in accordance with compulsory full-time education laws. It is the student’s and guardian’s responsibility to clear all absences. Categories for attendance accountability include:

Excused Absences per Ed Code 48205: The teacher is to allow a student to make up the work missed during excused absences, to the degree that it is possible for such work to be completed. An excused absence shall be granted for the following reasons:

* Personal Illness (More than 10 days per year of absences for medical and/or illness necessitate a doctor's note for each succeeding absence. After the 5th illness/medical absence, the absence will be recorded as unexcused unless a doctor’s note is provided.)

* Quarantine under city or county direction

* Medical appointments (includes dental, optometry, or chiropractic services) Medical appointments may be excused for a maximum of 2 hours. A doctor’s note is required to clear appointments for more than 2 hours.

* Funeral services for a member of the immediate family (mother, father, grandmother, grandfather, spouse, brother, sister, or any relative living in the student’s immediate household) Excused bereavement absences shall be limited to one day for services conducted in California or three days if out of state.

* Religious holidays

* Court appointment including Jury Duty

* Administrator approved absences must be discussed and approved in advance

Unexcused: An unexcused absence will be recorded for any reason not listed above in EC 48205. By state law, classwork missed due to suspensions or unexcused absences may be made up solely at the discretion of the teacher(s). Examples of unexcused absences include but are not limited to truancy, transportation issues, working, vacations, oversleeping, personal appointments, DMV appointments.

Personal Business: Absences approved by parents but not listed above as Excused per Ed Code 48205 are considered unexcused and will contribute to potential credit loss.

Tardiness: Being on time for class and other appointments is a vital life skill. Students will be issued detentions starting on the fourth unexcused tardy. A student who is more that 10 minutes late must receive a pass from the attendance office before going to class.

Clearing Absences: Parents/guardians should call the Attendance Office on the first day and each succeeding day of the student’s absence. Phone messages or notes clearing absences should include the following information: student’s name, parent’s name, date of the absence, reason for the absence. The forgery of notes or telephone calls excusing an absence will result in disciplinary action. Absences not cleared within
one week will be recorded as unexcused.

For your convenience you may leave an attendance message 24 hours a day at 431-3425.

Attendance Procedures: Students should never enter or leave the campus during the school day without checking in or out through the attendance office. This will ensure that the reason for missed class time is properly recorded. If a student leaves campus during the school day without checking out through the attendance office, the absence will not be cleared.

Appointments: Please schedule appointments after school hours. Medical appointments for more than 2 hours require doctor verification. The Attendance Office must receive parent notification stating the reason for the appointment before a pass can be issued to a student. Students must secure a pass before leaving campus. To minimize classroom interruptions, students should bring a note to the attendance office before school on the morning of the appointment.

Truancy: According to E.C. 48260, a student is considered truant when absent from school without a valid excuse for more than three days in one school year; or tardy or absent for a 30-minute period on three occasions during the school day without a valid excuse; or any combination thereof. Procedures for addressing truancies when resources are available include: automated calls to parents, truancy notification letters to parents, referrals to student support programs, notifying the District Attorney’s office, and/or the Student Attendance Review Board (SARB) for further action.

Participation in Activities: In order to be eligible to participate in extra or co-curricular activities, students must attend at least half of their scheduled school day and have no unexcused absence. Students with any unexcused portion of the day will be ineligible to participate in any activity. Students with excused absences of any length on a Friday shall be eligible to participate in Saturday activities.

Closed Campus: To improve student safety and neighborhood relations, HUSD has a closed campus. All students must stay on school grounds from the start to end of their school day.

Illness or Health Concerns: Students who are ill must report to the Nurse's Office or the Attendance Office for their safety and care. All medications, including over-the-counter medications such as Tylenol, need written physician's authorization in order to be administered at school and must be stored in the nurse’s office. Emergency Procedure Cards must be updated and on file for each student. This is for the student's safety and health.

Release from School: Students will only be released to adults listed on their Emergency Procedure Card. Withdrawal from School: To withdraw a student to from school, a parent must initiate the process in the Attendance Office. Students, unless 18, can not withdraw themselves.