Attendance
Late/Tardy Check-ins
All students are required to sign in and out of the attendance office if they are late or have an early dismissal slip. Leaving campus without prior permission will result in truancy action. If a student is late to class throughout the day due to a meeting with a staff member they are responsible for requesting a pass and turning it into the attendance office. Students will be considered unexcused late if less than 30 minutes after the bell and tardy if more than 30 minutes for any other reason.
- Late slips are available in the Attendance Office Counter for the first 29 minutes of a class period.
- Tardy slips will then be available at the Attendance Desk for students arriving to class 30 minutes or more past the period bell.
Appointments/Early Releases
Please contact the office before 9 AM to excuse any absences for your child. If your child has an appointment and needs to be released early, kindly let the attendance office know 1 hour before the student needs to be released. We encourage ALL parents to allow themselves 10 minutes to come in and sign their child out if they need their child released early.
*Under California Education Code 46000 and MPUSD BP # 5113/AR #5113 schools must track all absences and report them to the state.
1. All absences must be cleared by telephone, Parentsquare, email or this Google Form (click here). Only parents or legal guardians may clear absences.
2. Parents may call their school’s Attendance Office and speak directly to the attendance clerk or school secretary.
3. All absences should be cleared within 24 hours of their occurrence. An absence not cleared for five days will be considered truant.
1. Due to his or her illness.
2. Due to quarantine under the direction of a county/city health officer.
3. For the purpose of having medical, dental, optometrical, or chiropractic services rendered.
4. For the purpose of attending the funeral services of a member of his or her immediate family, so long as the absence is not more than one day if the service is conducted in California and not more than three days if the service is conducted outside California.
5. For the purpose of jury duty in the manner provided for by law.
6. Due to the illness or medical appointment during school hours of a child of whom the pupil is the custodial parent.
7. For justifiable personal reasons, including, but not limited to, an appearance in court, attendance at a funeral service, observance of a holiday or ceremony of his or her religion, attendance at religious retreats, attendance at an employment conference, or attendance at an educational conference on the legislative or judicial process offered by a nonprofit organization when the pupil's absence is requested in writing by the parent or guardian and approved by the principal or a designated representative pursuant to uniform standards established by the governing board.
8. For the purpose of serving as a member of a precinct board for an election pursuant to Section 12302 of the Elections Code.
9. For the purpose of spending time with a member of the pupil’s immediate family, who is an active duty member of the uniformed services, as defined in Section 49701, and has been called to duty for, is on leave from, or has immediately returned from, deployment to a combat zone or combat support position. Absences granted pursuant to this paragraph shall be granted for a period of time to be determined at the discretion of the superintendent of the school district.
10. For the purpose of attending the pupil’s naturalization ceremony to become a United States citizen.
Attendance is a major factor in academic success. Please do your best to schedule all appointments outside of the school day. Please call in all absences to the school office: (831) 384-3550
Every School Day Counts: Help Your Child Succeed in School
School success goes hand in hand with good attendance! Every day is important. Many MPUSD students miss 10 percent of the school year - about 18 days a year or just two days every month.
DID YOU KNOW?
- Missing 10 percent (or about 18 days) can make it harder to learn to read.
- Students can still fall behind if they miss just a day or two days every few weeks.
- Being late to school may lead to poor attendance.
- Absences can affect the whole classroom if the teacher has to slow down learning to help children catch up.
- Good attendance will help children do well in high school, college, and at work.