San Jose Middle College @ San Jose City College > Current Students > Attendance Expections

ATTENDANCE
What steps can be taken to assure that San Jose Middle College high school students have the best attendance possible?
Background: High school students who attend school regularly are more successful than those who do not [The Principals’ Partnership “Successful Attendance Policies and Programs”; ]http://www.principalspartnership.com/attendanceprograms.doc]. An attendance program must be designed to monitor, encourage and reward students for good attendance.
Elements of a Good Attendance Program:
• Policy is clear and easy to understand. Students and parents are informed of the policy, and periodically reminded.
• A strong, student-focused school climate is fostered by all school members.
• Opportunities are provided to reward good attendance.
• Strict penalties are incorporated for truancy.
• Use a transition program to ease first-semester students into the new school environment.
Policy and penalties:
• No more than 8 absences per semester will be allowed to remain in the voluntary Middle College program.
• Absences are either considers Excused or Unexcused. Excused absences include Health or Medical Appointments, Court Related, or Family Death. A Family Emergency may be Excused, if the Principal or Principal’s Representative gives approval in advance of the absence. All other absences are considered Unexcused.
• A short-term Independent Study may be agreed to between a parent and the school, if a student will be absent for 5 days or more. An agreement will be drawn up to document work done during the absence.
• A student and parent will receive a 1st Declaration as a Legal Truant is a student is absent without valid excuse on 3 full days, tardy or absent for more than any 30-minute period during the school day on 3 occasions in one school year, or any combination. A 2nd Declaration as a Legal Truant is issued if a student once reported as a Legal Truant is absent or tardy in excess of 30 minutes on 1 or more days. If a student is once again absent or tardy in excess of 30 minutes on 1 or more additional days, they can be Declared a Habitual Truant.
• Parents must verify absence within five school days of the absence, or it is considered Unexcused and cannot be changed. All students, including those over 18 years of age, must have absences verified by a parent or guardian.
• High school class attendance and college class attendance will be considered equally important under this policy. College class attendance will be documented each week with a form that students will fill out and sign, verifying their hours in attendance at college classes that week.
• A student will be declared tardy if they are over 10 minutes late to class. If they are over 30 minutes late, they will be considered absent.
• Tardy students will be expected to remain after school for a time equivalent to twice the tardy time.
Strong school climate:
• Students will be encouraged to consider regular attendance as a normal course of action for Middle College. Staff will encourage daily attendance through consistent behavior and positive reinforcement.
Rewards:
• Once a month, during an all-student assembly, those with good attendance for the month will be recognized.
• Each student with the best attendance that month will be entered into a contest for attendance prizes. Such items as gift certificates will be used as rewards.
Transition Program:
• This program will include curriculum on health choices that effect attendance, address how school attendance will affect future career and job choices, and additional academic support to ensure students feel successful, and thus more likely to attend school.
• Students new to San Jose Middle College will be enrolled for one hour in a “soft skills” class to teach them skills that will enable them to be successful in our program. If a student successfully completes the one semester course, they will be transferred to the “senior skills” class for that hour.