Absence Reporting

Absence Reporting

ABSENCE REPORTING NUMBER: (408) 927-9388
Email : akendra@sjusd.org

Students in grades 1-5 who are not lined up behind their teacher at the flag salute when the 8:55 am bell rings will be considered tardy.

Absences and tardies are tracked for dropout prevention and could affect your child’s attendance.

Absence Verification

All absences must be verified within five (5) school days. Verification of student absences will only be accepted from doctors, other medical professionals, and parents/guardians, either by note, email, phone, or fax. The school may require a note from a doctor if a student is absent for more than three (3) consecutive days. If verification has not been received within the five-day period, the absence(s) will be considered unexcused and the student will be at risk of becoming truant.

Excessive Excused Absences

San José Unified requires that absences due to illness must be verified by a physician or school personnel if a student is absent for a full or partial day due to illness more than 10% of the school year. When this occurs, parents/guardians will receive notice from their child’s school either by conference, letter, or meeting. From the date of that notice, all absences due to illness must be verified by a doctor’s note or the school health office. If the validity of a doctor’s note is in question, school personnel may require original documents or an exchange of information with the physician.

Short Term Independent Studies

If a student is required to be out of the area due to trips, or vacations, the parent/guardian may be able to make arrangements with the school two weeks in advance for the student to complete a Short Term Independent Study Contract. This contract may be valid for only 5-15 days each semester, as long as arrangements have been made in advance, and at the discretion of school personnel. The independent study option will be substantially equivalent in quality and quantity to classroom instruction. If a student meets all the requirements of the contract, the absences will be excused. State law prevents special education students from participating in independent study unless it is specified as an instructional method in their IEP. For more information, please contact the principal or a member of the school administrative team.

To protect the health and safety of our entire community, students should not attend school with any of the symptoms below. Students exhibiting these symptoms may be sent home.

• Cold symptoms - Keep student home during period of coughing with yellow or green discharge.
• Fever of 100 degrees or higher - Students who have been ill with a fever need to be fever-free, without the use of medication, for 24 hours before returning to school.
• Eyes that are red, swollen, crusting, or draining
• Untreated, draining ears or earache
• Diarrhea - Students must stay home for 48 hours after they no longer have symptoms.
• Severe nausea or vomiting - Students must stay home for 48 hours after they no longer have symptoms.
• Severe sore throat
• Untreated head lice and/or nits (eggs) in the hair