[BHS etree] REVISION: Absence/ Tardy/ Campus Leave Policies Explained

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BHS Parents and Guardians,

Note revision below at (** ) in ATTENDANCE/GRADE REDUCTION PROCEDURE section.

Your students can find the following attendance/tardy information on 
page 6 of their daily planner. This planner has the most up to date 
information on these policies.


ABSENCE FROM SCHOOL:

The Attendance office uses a computerized system that automatically 
calls parents the evening of a student's unexcused absence and/or 
tardy.

NOTE: Your student's Edline absence/tardy reports will take a week or 
more to show an absence has been cleared.

Absences can be cleared by a parent/guardian by calling the 
Attendance Office, 644-6209, 24 hours/day, a note from home, or Email 
the Attendance Office at Charles_Keefe at berkeley.k12.ca.us. Phone-ins 
are encouraged. Students must obtain a clearance slip from the 
Attendance Office after they have returned to school. You must have a 
cleared absence to get credit for make-up work. Absences cannot be 
cleared after 5 days from the date the student returns to school. 
See your counselor for a planned absence of 5 days or more.

When calling or when writing notes, the parent/guardian should 
provide the following information:
1. The student's full name (no nicknames); please spell the student's name

2. Student's grade

3. Dates of full day absences, or dates and periods of partial day absences

4. Reason for absence

5. Name, relationship to student, and daytime telephone number

6. Parent/guardian signature must be on note.

Attendance Office Hours D134
The Attendance Office will clear absences and provide clearance slips 
for students only during the time periods listed below:
	*	8:00 a.m. - 8:25 a.m.
	*	8:25 a.m. - 9:00 a.m. (for 12th graders with no 1st period)
	*	11:30 a.m. - 12:10 p.m. (lunchtime)
	*	3:15 p.m. - 3:45 p.m.
The Attendance Office will not clear absences or provide slips for 
students during class time.

PERMIT TO LEAVE CAMPUS:

BHS is a closed campus except for lunchtime.  If students must leave 
campus for a portion of the school da, they must bring a note from 
home (see information required above) to present to their teacher in 
order to leave class.  On their return to campus, either the same day 
or the next, students must present the note to the Attendance Office 
to obtain a clearance slip.  A doctor's note stating the date, 
beginning and ending time of the appointment can also be used to 
obtain a clearance slip.

ATTENDANCE/GRADE REDUCTION PROCEDURE

If a student accumulates 5 unexcused absences during one report card 
period (9 weeks), his/her grade is lowered by one full grade (e.g., 
from an A- to a B-).  Three tardies are the equivalent of one 
unexcused absence. If a student accumulates 10 unexcused absences 
during one report period,* his/her grade is lowered by an additional 
grade (using the original example from B- to C-). The student starts 
fresh each report card period. Please note that the lowest grade that 
a student may receive because of attendance is a C-.** (Revised 
policy)
	*	Tardy: a student is tardy if he/she is not in the 
classroom when the bell rings, unless the student enters with a pass.
	*	Absent: a student is absent if he/she is not in the 
classroom after 20 minutes of the period have passed, unless the 
student enters with a pass.
	*	Unexcused absence: an unexcused absence occurs when a 
student is absent and does not get a clearance slip from the 
Attendance Office within 3 days.
	*	Accumulation of tardies: 3 tardies are the equivalent 
of one unexcused absence.
	*	Appeals: a student or parent/guardian may appeal a 
grade reduction by written letter to an assistant principal. Within 
30 days of the written appeal, the assistant principal shall convene 
a committee, comprised of the assistant principal and 2 BHS classroom 
teachers, in order to determine a judgment on the appeal. The 
committee shall sustain or deny the appeal, and its decision shall be 
final.

*To see report periods go the BUSD calender: 
http://bhs.berkeleypta.org/bhs-calendar.htm