Attendance
ABSENCE LINE
ABSENCE LINE![]()
ABSENCE LINE
ATTENDANCE PROCEDURES
Regular attendance is critical to student success; losing more than one day per month is considered excessive.
ABSENCES:
Please report all absences on the same day as the absence via the 24-Hour Attendance Line at (949) 234-5392 or by emailing NHMSAttendance@capousd.org.
Required Information:
- Student’s full name (spell clearly)
- Date(s) of absence
- Caller/Sender name
- Specific reason for absence
Excused Reasons: Illness, medical/dental appointments, funerals, court dates, and religious events.
Unexcused Reasons: Non-medical appointments, personal/family visits, vacations, oversleeping, transportation/traffic issues, weather, or work.
Note: Make-up work for unexcused absences is granted solely at teacher’s discretion.
Attendance Office Contact: Misti Blodgett | (949) 234-5360 | mmblodgett@capousd.org
EXCESSIVE ILLNESSES:
Once a student accumulates 14 absences (or the period equivalent) during the school year due to illness, any subsequent absence for medical reasons must be verified by a licensed physician with specified clearance dates. Without physician verification, any further absences will be classified as unexcused.
SCHOOL ILLNESS POLICY:
Students who feel ill must obtain a pass from their teacher to go to the Health Office. Health Office staff will evaluate the student and contact a parent/guardian if pick-up is necessary.
Important: Students are strictly prohibited from calling home independently to arrange pick-up. All students must be checked out through the main office before leaving campus.
TARDIES:
Students arriving late to school must report directly to the Attendance Window before going to class.
- Medical Appointments: If a student is late due to a medical or dental appointment, please provide a written excuse note from the healthcare provider upon arrival.
TRUANTS/UNEXCUSED ABSENCES:
Students who are on campus but miss an assigned class without permission from school staff are considered truant. A student who arrives more than 30 minutes late is also marked truant. Additionally, students who leave campus, stay home without parent/guardian permission, or have an absence that remains uncleared after 72 hours will be recorded as truant.
In accordance with the California Education Code, any absence not cleared by the attendance office within 72 hours becomes an official truancy, and disciplinary action may be taken by administration.
SARB Process & Legal Consequences: Accumulating a total of three (3) days of unexcused absences/truancies (or 9 period absences across 3 days) can prompt the School Attendance Review Board (SARB) process and lead to school disciplinary action. Parents will receive formal written notification declaring their child habitually absent/truant.
Parent Recommendations: Please regularly check the Parent Portal (especially on substitute teacher days) to verify attendance, and respond immediately to any automated call or email regarding uncleared absences.
EARLY RELEASE PROCEDURES:
- Morning Request: Students leaving early must bring a note from home to the front office before school starts to obtain an early release pass.
- Check-Out: Parents/guardians must present a valid photo ID at the main office front desk to sign the student out.
- Authorized Pick-Up Only: Students may not leave campus with anyone other than a parent, legal guardian, or contact listed on their emergency card.
ABSENCE ERROR:
If a student is marked absent in error, the student must report it directly to their teacher. The teacher will then notify the Attendance Office to make the correction. Please note that the Attendance Office cannot change period absences without teacher verification.
FORGOTTEN ITEMS POLICY:
To protect instructional time, the office will not deliver dropped-off items (homework, lunches, instruments, uniforms, phones, etc.) or contact classrooms.
If a parent drops off a forgotten item, it will be labeled and the student's name will be listed on the Attendance Window. Students are expected to check the Attendance Window during non-instructional time to retrieve their belongings.
INDEPENDENT STUDY AGREEMENT:
If it is necessary for parents to keep their children out of school for up to 15 days (minimum of 1 day) to travel or attend some special event, the District requests that an independent study agreement be set up between the child and teachers. Suspended or Dual Enrolled students DO NOT qualify for Independent Study.
The agreement provides children with lessons and activities to complete while away from school and helps to ensure that the students do not fall behind in their studies. The study agreement is given to the child and should be returned to the classroom teachers upon completion. Parents should complete the Short Term Independent Study (STIS) Request Form at least ten school days prior to the first day of a child’s unavoidable absence from school for reasons other than illnesses.
If it is necessary for parents to keep their children out of school for up to 15 days (minimum of 1 day) to travel or attend some special event, the District requests that an independent study agreement be set up between the child and teachers. Suspended or Dual Enrolled students DO NOT qualify for Independent Study.
The agreement provides children with lessons and activities to complete while away from school and helps to ensure that the students do not fall behind in their studies. The study agreement is given to the child and should be returned to the classroom teachers upon completion. Parents should complete the Short Term Independent Study (STIS) Request Form at least ten school days prior to the first day of a child’s unavoidable absence from school for reasons other than illnesses.