ATTENDANCE

Daily school attendance is essential for academic achievement and an important indicator of future success. Attendance is the responsibility of both the student and the parent. Sage Creek High School has an automatic parent notification system for unverified/unexcused absences.  

Griselda Jones, Attendance Clerk (7:30am – 4pm)
Rachel Furnberg, Attendance Clerk (8am – 12pm)

REPORT AN ABSENCE

A parent or guardian must call the Sage Creek Attendance Hotline at 760-331-6670 to report an absence. This is a 24-hour Voice Mail system. Parents/Guardians will be asked to leave a message verifying the absence. If the automated system contacts you regarding an absence, please call the attendance hotline or respond via ParentSquare within 48 hours. Only parents/guardians can excuse absences. All absences need to be cleared within 48 hours, or it is considered an unexcused absence for which detentions may be assigned.

OFF-CAMPUS PASS | EARLY RELEASE

• When requesting an early release or reporting an absence, please call the Attendance Hotline at 760-331-6670. 
• We do not interrupt classrooms with passes to support our learners and foster a focused learning environment. This is a change from past practice. 
• Parents or guardians need to give at least three hours' notice for all early releases. Students can pick up their passes before school, during brunch, during passing periods, or at lunch. Students may not leave class to pick up their passes. If a three-hour prior notice is not possible, a parent or guardian must go to the Attendance Office in person and show ID to check the student out (this includes students who drive to/from school). 
• Only adults on the student’s emergency contact list may pick up a student from school. Only parents/guardians may excuse students from school.

STUDENTS LEAVING EARLY DUE TO ILLNESS

In the event a student becomes ill and would like to go home, please follow the procedures below:

• During passing periods or at lunch, the student should go directly to the health office. 
• During class time, the student should report the illness to the teacher and request to be sent to the health office. Students should not be texting or calling home.  
• The health tech will arrange for parent approval for the student to leave campus and issue an off-campus pass to the student. 
• Do not contact the attendance office to have your student leave early if they are ill. They need to sign out of school through the health office. 

STUDENTS ARRIVING LATE TO SCHOOL

LATE ARRIVALS MUST check in with the Attendance Office BEFORE going to class. (Missed classes will be unexcused unless the student checks in with the attendance office.)

All late arrivals are unexcused until a parent/guardian informs the Attendance Office via the attendance hotline (760-331-6670) why the student was late.

ABSENCE TYPES

Excused absences are granted for illness, mental or behavioral health, quarantine from the health dept., doctor/dental appointments, funerals for immediate family members, court appearances, cultural ceremonies or events, or specific religious holidays. All other types of absences are unexcused. A note requesting an excused absence for a religious holiday is required at least two days in advance. (Ed Code 48205)

Unexcused absences include vacation, personal, family, or business emergencies, and personal days. Unexcused absences accrue, and by law, the third unexcused absence during a school year is identified as truancy. Students with truancies may be subject to disciplinary action and may be taken to the School Attendance Review Board (SARB).

Under state law, a student who, without a valid excuse, is absent from school for three full days in one school year, OR is tardy or absent for more than 30 minutes during the school day in one school year, is considered truant.

A NOTE FROM CARLSBAD POLICE DEPT.

Operation Intersect is a Truancy Intervention Program designed to assist families whose juveniles have been identified as having issues with their attendance. Learn more about Operation Intersect.

**Parents: If you believe your student was marked absent or tardy by mistake, please have your student contact the teacher directly to fix the error.