Washington Middle School

Regular attendance is very important and directly affects a student's academic performance.  Students should only be absent when ill or because of a family emergency.  Students are required to attend at least 85% of days enrolled.  Students who are absent more than 15% of days enrolled risk being retained and not promoted to high school.

Parents are required to call the Attendance Office at 831-796-7100 ext. 8612 to report a student absence.  The school's voice mail system is available to record calls 24 hours a day.  Parents should leave their name, the student's full name, date of absence and reason for absence, and date of expected return to school.  A note may also be sent that includes the same information.  If a call or note is not received, every effort will be made to contact a parent at home or place of employment to verify that the absence is excused and not truancy.

Verified absences include absences for personal illness, attedance at a funeral service for a member of the immediate family, and part-day absence for medical or dental appointments.  Truant absences occur when a student misses one or more classes without a valid excuse.  Truant absences accumulate from the beginning of the school year until the end.  Disciplinary action for cutting class, skipping school, being habitually tardy or truant will be dealt with through the District Policy.

Parents of students who are absent one or more periods in a day will receive an auto-dialer phone call from the school.  Real-time attendance is also available online through the Home Access Center.

 

We live in a society that values promptness.  As a result, students are expected to develop their ability to be on time for class.  A student is considered tardy if she or she is not in class before the tardy bell rings.  Excessive tardies will affect a student's citizenship grade, and result in assignment to detention or Saturday School.