• Regular school attendance is important! 

    Studies repeatedly show that children with strong attendance records out-perform others in learning achievement. That means a stronger likelihood of finishing high school, attending college, and having a productive career! By contrast, children who are frequently absent literally miss out on those opportunities to form the habits they need for learning achievement.
     
    With the stakes so high for our students, we take attendance very seriously at the Sunnyvale School District.
     
    Thank you for supporting your child's learning efforts! Unless children are ill (fever, vomiting, diarrhea, or rash, currently or within the past 24 hours) they must be in school, on time, and ready to learn. You will find Sunnyvale School District's complete attendance policy here.  Thank you for supporting your child's learning efforts!    
     
    Attendance, Absence, and Tardy Policies

    REPORTING AN ABSENCE: send an email to cumberland.attendance@sesd.org or call (408) 522-8255 press 1 or 

    Please email or call before 9:00am if your child is absent. See below for more info. 

     Be prepared to leave the following information for the school office:

    • Date of absence
    • Your name
    • Your child’s name, spelling the last name
    • Teacher’s name
    • Grade
    • Reason for absence - if your child is sick please include symptoms

    WHEN TO KEEP YOUR CHILD AT HOME-SICKNESS - Per district policy, If your child is experiencing: diarrhea, vomiting, temperature of 100 degrees or higher, your child must stay home. They need to be free of symptoms for 24 hours without medication before returning to school.  For the safety and health of students and staff, this is strictly inforced with no exceptions.

    EXCUSED ABSENCES: Absences of pupils shall be considered excused absences due to illness and for the purpose of having medical/dental appointments and funerals. The District asks parents to make these appointments outside school hours whenever possible.

    NON-MEDICAL ABSENCES: Please avoid planning trips and vacations during school time. Non-medical absences are considered unexcused by the State of California. After three unexcused absences, you will receive your first letter of truancy.

    TARDIES: Please report to the front office to receive a tardy pass.

    Unexcused tardy: student is not in their classroom by the second bell (8:15am). 

    Excused tardy: medical or dentist appointment with a note to prove that you had an appointment.

     Independent Study - Contract review must be completed with a 2-week notice

    It is in your child's best interest to plan vacations while school is not in session. In order to receive Independent Study credits, you need to come into the office to complete the Independent Study Contract. Contracts will be granted only when you contact the school office 2 weeks in advance of the absence due to travel. While this is no substitute for regular classroom instruction, it will help your child stay current with their class.

    • Trips should not coincide with days when school is in session.
    • After school is in session, absences between 5 and 10 days can be given attendance credit as long as they are not at the end or beginning of a school year.
    • Contracts will not be issued with dates beginning or ending before September 15 or after June 1.
    • Days of attendance credit may bracket around school holidays as long as the school days are consecutive and do not exceed the number of days approved on the Independent Study Contract.
    • A student may not exceed 10 independent study days per school year.

    The rules are as follows: Independent Study is a signed contract between student, parent/guardian, and the school district.

    1. Set a time to review the contract with the front office. The principal may use their discretion to approve or deny a contract.
    2. Your child’s teacher and the school office staff must be notified a minimum of 10 school days in advance to compile homework assignments and prepare the Independent Study contract.
    3. Each contract is limited to a minimum of 5 days to a maximum of 10 school days, beginning on the first day of absence, and ending on the returning day, i.e. the 11th day for a maximum of 10 excused school days. If the contract date lapses (12th day) without work being returned to the school, the contract is void. Voided contracts will affect future independent contracts being granted.
    4. Homework may be turned in early for appropriate credit, but not late. A student will not be given attendance credit if work is turned in late or goes past the stipulated contract date by one day. The student on an Independent Study contract must personally turn in homework prior to, but no later than the due date on the contract.
    5. Teachers require a minimum of 2 weeks to evaluate returned work, which represents 5 to 10 days of school attendance with appropriate credit of 1 to 10 days of ADA credit depending on the quality and quantity of the work returned. Work not turned in by the agreed contract date voids the contract.
    6. Schools cannot save spaces; if a contract due date is missed and the student has not returned to school, they may lose their classroom placement if there are resident students on a waiting list ready to fill openings. Upon returning, the student may be administratively placed in another school if there is no longer available space in their grade when they return. Students who are ill on their return date and can provide a doctor’s excuse note may have a parent/guardian turn in all of their assignments to the school on or before the end of the contract expiration date in order to meet the contract deadline. School work, approved by the teacher for content, but turned in after the due date, may be given academic credit, but not attendance credit, and can negatively affect future contract requests.

     

    Please email jennifer.gray@sesd.org to arrange an appointment.