• ATTENDANCE
    Students are required to attend classes in accordance with compulsory fulltime education laws (E.C. 48200).  Categories for attendance include the following:

    A.   Excused:

    An excused absence is defined under Board Policy.  The teacher is to allow a student to make up the work missed during absences, to the degree it is possible for such work to be completed.  An excused absence shall be granted for the following reasons:

    • Personal illness.
    • Quarantine under city or county direction.
    • Medical, dental, optometry, or chiropractic services.  Students are strongly encouraged to make appointments during non-school hours.
    • Attending funeral services of an immediate family member.
    • Exclusion for having not been properly immunized.
    • Jury duty.
    • For a student who is the custodial parent of a child who is ill or has a medical appointment during school hours.

    B.   Warranted:

    A warranted absence may be requested for justifiable personal reasons, including but not limited to, the following:

    • Appearance in court.
    • Employment conference or interview.
    • School meetings which must necessarily be held during school hours.
    • Religious holidays or celebrations.
    • College visits (limit 3 days per year).
    • Bereavement beyond excused absence days.

    Family trips and vacations will not be warranted under this policy.

    Any absence under this section which was not requested in advance and in writing will be considered unexcused, and work may be made up only at the teacher’s discretion.

    C.   Unexcused:

    Students may not make up work missed during an unexcused absence.  These include, but are not limited to:

    • Oversleeping
    • Cut
    • Any absence which is not cleared within two days after the student returns to school.

    D.   Suspensions:

    The teacher from any class from which a student is suspended may require the suspended student to complete any assignments and tests missed during the suspension (E.C. 48913).

    E.    John Swett High School Attendance Procedures:

    • Students who have been absent must have their absence(s) cleared within two days of their return.
    • Absences not cleared within this time will be marked unexcused.
    • You must call the attendance office on the first day of absence to request homework.  Homework will be collected for pick-up in the counseling office at the end of the day.
    • If a student becomes ill or injured while at school, he/she is to report to the attendance secretary, who will notify the parent/guardian.
    • Students are expected to make routine medical appointments after school hours.  Parents must send a note or call for students to leave campus.  Students who leave campus without a slip from the secretary will be marked as truant.
    • A student is considered tardy when he/she is not in the classroom ready to work when the class begins.
    • A student is considered unexcused if he/she arrives in class excessively late (15 minutes or more).
    • Students who arrive to class without their materials may be sent out of class at teacher discretion.
    • Students who are assigned detention for tardies must serve their detention within three days or a referral will be submitted resulting in further action and inclusion on student records.

    F.    Student Attendance Review Board (SARB):

    According to Ed. Code 48260, a student is considered truant “who is absent from school without a valid excuse more than three days and/or tardy in excess of thirty minutes on each of more than three days.”  Students who do not serve detentions may also be processed.  The formal procedure for dealing with truant students includes issuing letters of notification to parents of truant students,, meeting with the Board as a means of intervention, and referring students to support programs or alternative classrooms and schools, as necessary, or to the Contra Costa County sheriff’s office and/or district attorney’s office.

    G. Closed Campus:

    The Governing Board established a closed campus at John Swett High School.  Students may only leave the school campus during the lunch period and to attend pre-arranged school activities.

    Certain areas around the campus have been declared off limits to students, including the Carquinez Middle School grounds and Alexander Park.

    TARDY POLICY

    Tardies will accumulate during each grading period

    • 1st Tardy: Teacher warning
    • 2nd Tardy: Teacher consequence
    • 3rd Tardy: Parent phone call and teaher held detention
    • 4th Tardy: Referral to the Assistant Principal for administrative detention and parent phone call
    • Any tardies over 4 will result in a Saturday School Assignment

    Random tardy sweeps will be held by staff and administration.  If students are caught in one of these sweeps, an administrative detention will be assigned.


    Created on 9/4/2009 - Last updated on 4/27/2012