Attendance & Tardy/Detention Policies

Please leave the following information when you call:

Student's name (please spell slowly) and grade level
Date of absence
Reason for the absence and the possible duration of absence
Person calling and their relation to the student
Attendance Clerks:

STUDENT ATTENDANCE per BP/AR 51131:

Students are expected to be in school the first day of the school year. Students who have not attended the first two days of school will be dropped at the end of the third day of school, except in cases of illness for which the school has been previously informed.

In cases of illness, parents/guardians must contact the school each day the child is absent. It is very important for a parent or guardian to report their student's absence from school. PLEASE help to keep accurate records on your student's attendance by remembering to report an absence. We should hear within 48 hours.

The School District policy allows only five (5) personal days of absence for the entire school year. If the student is absent for just three (3) periods and we have not heard from a parent, the student will be considered truant generating a truancy letter. Call your attendance clerk (see contact information below) the day your student is absent. We have 24-hour voicemail.

Absences not cleared within 48 hours will result in a truancy.

Off Grounds Pass:
If your child needs to leave campus during the school day, please send him/her with a signed note specifying the time and date he/she will need to be picked up to his/her attendance clerk before the start of the school day. If/when a student returns to school the same day, he/she must report to his/her attendance clerk to receive a pass back to class.

We will not call and interrupt the classroom during instruction time. Remember, the student's cell phone must be off during the classroom time please do not call their cell phone to have them come and meet you. This will not excuse him/her and will only cause their cell phones to be confiscated for the day. You will then need to sign to pick up the phone after school is out. Thank you for your consideration.

If a student leaves the campus without and off-grounds pass, it is considered a cut for the classes missed and disciplinary action with be taken. A parent/guardian cannot excuse a student after the fact if he/she leaves the campus without and off-grounds pass.

Tardy / Detention Policies

Washington High School has a zero tolerance tardy policy.

The primary responsibility of a student is to learn, and in order to maximize learning, s/he needs to be in class on time.

If a student is late to either 1st or 5th period, they should proceed to the attendance windows to get a pass and an after school detention slip.   Students may serve the 3:00-3:50 pm detention in Room 95 on either the day it is assigned or the following day.

If a student is late to 2nd, 3rd, 4th or 6th period, they should go directly to the classroom, where the teacher will give them a detention slip.   Again, students may serve the 3:00-3:50 pm detention in Room 95 on either the day it is assigned or the following day.

• Students that do not attend the one-hour after school detention will be assigned a Saturday school, 8:00 – 11:00 am, in Room 71.
• If they do not go to Saturday School, then they will receive all day SRC the following week.

Truancy Policy

Student cuts can result in consequences including detentions and Saturday school. A series of letters are issued in order of severity , to parents of students who are truant. The initial letter is a warning based on three (3) single period absences and if the truancy persists with any continued single period absences, letters 2, 3 and 4 will be issued, which outline the consequences. Parent and student will be required to meet with their principal and sign an attendance contract. If this is not successful in addressing the truancy, a referral with be made to the School Attendance Review Board, (SARB) at the district office. Student and parent are then required to meet with school officials to create a plan to improve school attendance. Referrals to the Alameda County District Attorney's office can result from SARB hearings. Senior cut days, senior flings, etc are not school-sponsored events and will not count as excused absences under state laws. Students with unexcused absences/tardies or truancies do not have the right to make up missed assignments/tests. Missing classes greatly affect grades and graduation.