Parent Liaison Office

 

At Del Lago Academy, we are committed to the academic success of all of our scholars. One of the keys to attaining success in the classroom is attending school daily and on time. Significant absences, repeated unexcused absences, or tardiness may impact classroom performance and could lead to disciplinary consequences.  With this in mind, Del Lago Academy requests that families schedule vacations or special programs so as not to conflict with school. Appointments and other activities should be scheduled during non-school hours whenever possible.  In the event of a necessary absence, please contact the Attendance Office at 760-291-2511.

 

Unexcused absences are absences that are not a result of justifiable personal reasons including, but not limited to: illness, or having medical, dental, optometric, or chiropractic services rendered; special religious ceremonies; school-related and approved activities; and family emergencies that cannot be handled in some other manner, even though approved by parents/guardian.  

 

While we encourage scholars and families to schedule appointments before or after school, we know that occasionally students may need to leave campus for a doctor or dentist appointment. If your scholar needs to be excused early, please provide the attendance office with advance notice prior to the appointment, either by a call or a written note. Your scholar will be provided an off-campus pass, which they can pick up from the attendance office before school, during break, or during lunch. However, a parent/guardian must come to the school office and sign the student out of school at the front desk when scholars leave campus before the end of the school day. If a student leaves campus without a pass and parent signature, it is considered a truancy. A disciplinary consequence will apply, which may include being searched for contraband. The absence cannot be excused.  

 

The following are considered truancies:

A period truancy will be recorded, if not cleared (CA Education Code Sec. 48260.5).  

 

It is our belief that it is necessary for our scholars to attend school every day in order to gain the skills needed for success in college and the workforce. It is the responsibility of every scholar to attend school regularly and on time.  As stated previously, parents of scholars must clear all absences. If an absence is not cleared within two days, the scholar will be considered truant. Habitual tardiness or truancies may result in participation in a Restorative Conference, detention, the loss of privilege to participate in extracurricular activities, and/or referral to the Student Attendance Review Team (SART).  

 

 

The following procedure will be followed to discourage tardiness and truancy from a particular class period:  

 

Teacher/Scholar Conference

Teacher/Scholar Conference
Parent Notification

Teacher/Scholar Conference

Referral to Comprehensive Student Assistance Team

Counselor will contact the parent & student, and notify the student’s advisor

Teacher/Scholar Conference Referral to Assistant Principal

Assistant Principal will contact parent & student

The administrator will confer with the student and parent.

The administrator may drop the student from the class with loss of credit and/or apply other corrective action.

 

California state law requires that all persons between 6 and 18 years of age attend school (E.C. 48200). In addition, parents have the legal responsibility to ensure their child’s attendance.  

 

A scholar who has ten excused (partial and full) absences is considered excessively absent (this includes tardies in excess of 30 minutes). After 10 absences, scholars will be required to provide a doctor’s note, and all subsequent absences will be considered truancies. A scholar who has three unexcused absences is considered truant (E.C. Section 48260). For excessive excused absences or truancies, scholars are referred to a SART (School Attendance Review Team).  

 

Scholars who are absent for three days or tardy for more than a thirty-minute period on three occasions (or any combination thereof) will receive a truancy letter. If the truancy continues, a second and third letter will go home to the parents and the school administrators will be notified. This also applies to excessively excused students. Scholars with truancies or excessive excused absences will be referred to a Student Attendance Review Team. This team comprises Del Lago Academy personnel and works with the scholar and parents to support school attendance and ensure the regular and on-time school attendance of the student.  

 

If tardiness and absences continue to be a problem following the SART meeting, the scholar and family will be referred to SARB. SARB is a legal body comprising representatives of the school district, juvenile justice system, Child Protective Services, and community agencies. SARB directs students with school attendance problems to appear before the committee - accompanied by parent/guardian - in order to mutually problem-solve and implement appropriate interventions.  The goal of the School Attendance School Board is to minimize the negative effects of excessive absences by coordinating and directing the efforts of parents, students, and school personnel on the behalf of the students’ welfare and achievement.