Dear St. Anthony of Padua Parents and Guardians,
I hope your week is going well! Thank you to all families who have made it a point to make a dedicated learning space for your child to learn well, while we are conducting school remotely.
Even though we are currently engaging in Distance Learning, there is the expectation that families comply with the ADLA and SAP School Attendance Policies. Daily attendance and active participation in online learning is highly encouraged, as it directly relates to success.
It is important that parents/guardians call into the school office first thing in the morning, if your child is sick or will be absent, and you will also need a doctor’s note if they are out for 3 or more days.
Parent Communication – Remote Learning
Parents/guardians must call the attendance office between 7:30 AM and 8:30 AM each day the student is absent. The following must be communicated in the phone call: Student’s full name, grade, date(s) of absence, explicit reason for absence, and phone number at which the parent/guardian may be contacted during the school day. The parent/guardian must also email the office) and the following must be communicated: Student’s full name, grade, date(s) of absence, explicit reason for absence, and phone number at which the parent/guardian may be contacted during the school day.
Parent/Student Communication – In Person & Remote Learning
The primary method of teacher communication will be through Seesaw or Google Classroom. Given such, students are expected to check Seesaw and Google Classroom for updates, resources, announcements, and assignments. It is the student’s/parents’ responsibility to then email the teacher to confirm that they have read and understood the information on Seesaw or Google Classroom and/or to ask for further clarification if needed.
If the absence is a planned absence (such as medical/dental appointment, funeral, court appearance, school approved activity) the student is expected to communicate with their teacher prior to the absence to arrange assignment/test make-up plans. If the absence is unplanned (sudden sickness) the student should notify the teacher before class if possible.
Type of Absences (Excused vs. Unexcused) A strict policy is enforced regarding absences. The following are considered acceptable reasons for absence (excused absences): (1) Illness*, (2) Medical/Dental appointments*, (3) Funerals, (4) Quarantine*, (5) Court Appearances*, (6) Approved School Activities, and (7) Retreats [*= Official verification documentation required]. Unverified absences are considered unexcused (truancies) unless reclassified within two days of return to school.The attendance register is a legal document and per ADLA policy we are bound to contact parents first if students don’t come to class and if it continues or if parents don’t respond to our phone calls or emails (with updated contact info we have on record), we need to contact authorities and possibly DCFS. Please note that this protocol stands both in public and private schools, as there is a compulsory education law in CA.
Please see the ADLA Policy on Attendance and Truancy below.
Truancy
A student is considered truant when he or she is absent from school without a valid excuse for three full days in one school year or is tardy or absent for more than any 30-minute period during the school day on three occasions in one school year, or any combination thereof. The school shall report the student to the local public school district’s attendance office or the public school district’s superintendent.
In the event that a school suspects that a student is truant (absent from school without a valid excuse), the school administration should first contact the parents/guardians. If the school suspects that the student is a habitual truant (absent three times in a school year without a valid excuse) and all resources at the school level have been exhausted, the school principal should notify the local Child Welfare and Attendance authorities.
If a student has been reported once as a truant and then is absent again for one or more days without a valid excuse or tardy on one or more days without a valid excuse, the school should again report the student as truant to the local public school district’s attendance office or the public school district’s superintendent. A student who has been reported as truant three or more times is considered a habitual truant and is subject to dismissal.
If a student has been absent without excuse, and it is impossible to contact the parents/guardians or designated emergency contacts within 4 hours and after repeated attempts, the school should notify the attendance office of the local public school district, the local police department, Child Protective Services, or all of those agencies. Since we also fall within the LAUSD boundaries, we are also including the attached brochure that delineates their Truancy policy as well.
We thank you in advance for your cooperation and compliance with our Attendance Policies. Attached is the LAUSD policy in public schools. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or concerns.
Sincerely,
Mrs. Grey
Click here to view/print the LAUSD “School Attendance – A Guide for Parents”.
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