Attendance

Every Child, Every Seat, Every Day and On Time!

It is extremely important that students come to school on time each day.

School starts at 8:00 AM (8:30 AM for Kindergarten and first grade Late Birds)

The cafeteria opens at 7:30 AM to serve breakfast.

School attendance is compulsory under state law.  Regular attendance and being on time is closely related to achievement and success at school. Parents/ guardians are obligated to ensure that their child attends school and is on time.

Clearing Excusable Absences

Parents/guardians must send a note, telephone the school or visit the school office to clear all excusable absences within 72 hours of absence. Students must bring a note the day they return to school that includes the current date, student’s name, and the exact days he/she was absent. The note must be signed by the parent/guardian listed on the emergency card.

Truancy Notification

First Notification Letter

To be classified as a truant, a student has had three (3) unexcused absences or three (3) tardies of 30 minutes or more. Education Code Section 48260.5 requires that the parent/guardian will be notified by a letter informing them of what can occur if their child is not in school.

Second Notification Letter – Truancy Meeting

If improvements in attendance have not been made, (after an additional 1-day [minimum] unexcused absence or unexcused tardy in excess of 30 minutes), then a 2nd letter will be generated. The second letter is advising that you will be scheduled to meet with the principal to discuss attendance. When this conference is scheduled you will receive a  scheduled conference letter that will have a time and date you will need to meet with the principal to discuss why your student has been absent without valid reasons. An attendance contract will be signed at the meeting.

Third Notification Letter -School Attendance and Review Board (SARB)

If all of the above has failed and your child is still not attending school, then your child will be referred for a School Attendance Review Board (SARB).

Tardy Policy

To fully benefit from the instructional program, students must be on time every day. Students who are tardy to class interrupt the teacher’s instructional plan and the learning process for all students. With our youngest children we find that tardiness is mostly the fault of the parent, not the child.  We urge all parents to strive for promptness so that each child may start off his/her day at school on a positive note.

Late Students

Tardy students must report to the office for a tardy slip before reporting to class. We cannot excuse tardies for oversleeping, car troubles, heavy traffic, etc. If you are tardy for a medical or dental appt. please make sure you ask for an excuse letter from your doctor or dentist.

Excessive Tardies

Parents will be contacted in the case of excessive tardiness. Three (3) tardies of 30 minutes or more can result in a referral to the Attendance and Welfare Office. 

Early Student Pickup

Students may be picked up early from school during school hours for emergency appointments only. You must bring a note from your doctor the following school day. To maximize their learning time, please send your child to school even if their appointment is later in the day or refrain from making appointments for your child(ren) during school hours. For your child’s protection, all persons picking up a student early from school must come to the office and sign the student out. Proper identification (photo ID) is required. The office staff will review the student’s emergency card information to confirm that the person is authorized to pick up the student. If the person is not listed on the emergency card, the student will not be authorized to leave school.

Late Pickups

There is NO SUPERVISION of students waiting to be picked up.  If a student has not been picked up by a parent or guardian after 30 minutes of dismissal, the school staff will contact the parent or guardian as well as other people listed on the student’s emergency card.  If a parent or guardian cannot be contacted the school staff will contact the Hayward Police Department

Child Welfare and Attendance

The Child Welfare & Attendance office assists students, parent/guardians, and schools to promote student success and achievement.  We believe supporting the needs of children involves understanding, sustaining and enhancing their support systems namely family, peers, school, and community. We aim to provide quality service with respect and integrity.  The CWA Office manages Student transfers (Inter and Intra-district transfers, Open Enrollment, and School Choice), Attendance and Truancy intervention (SARB), Student Enrollment issues, support to special populations including Foster and McKinney-Vento Homeless youth, Alameda County Mental Health Services, and other areas concerning student welfare.   As part of Student and Family Support Services, we share the mission to engage and support students, families, and schools in a comprehensive way which creates a community that develops successful thriving students. Learn more about CWA at HUSD.