Attendance

All absences must be cleared within five days by portal, app, phone call or email from a parent/guardian. Parents will be notified by the auto dialer each evening whenever a student is reported absent from one or more periods. Parents may clear absences using 971-5002, the 24-hour attendance line, or by emailing BellaVistaAbsence@sanjuan.edu from the address registered in the Parent Portal. If unaware of the absence, parents should call the Attendance Office at 971-5040 between 7:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. to speak to an attendance clerk. Absences not cleared within five school days automatically roll over to truancies. If your child feels the absence is an error, correction slips are available in the attendance office. Parents cannot clear erroneous absences.

Students and parents can view attendance on the parent portal at all times, and should review it together (https://sis.sanjuan.edu/parentportal). Single period absences need to be cleared as well as all day absences. The forms to make corrections are available for students in the Attendance Office. Teachers must verify that there was an error on their attendance sheets.

Parents need to report immediately any change of address, telephone number or emergency care information, e.g., doctor or health plan, to San Juan Central Enrollment (916) 726-5826. This is important in case of an emergency.  Address changes can be submitted online through the Q parent portal with supporting documentation. Changes to telephone numbers of emergency care should also be updated through the Q parent portal.

https://www.sanjuan.edu/enrollment/address-change

A student must have an early dismissal (ED) to leave campus at any time during the school day. To obtain an ED, the parent/guardian must either: 

1. Provide a written note, specifying the date, time and purpose of the ED. The note is brought by the student to the attendance office before school.

2. Call the attendance office at (916) 971-5040, requesting the ED. Please note that EDs issued over the phone will be available for students to pick up between classes, at break or at lunch. Leave plenty of time for pick up.

EDs will only be delivered to students in the event of an emergency.

To leave campus anytime during the day, a student must have an Early Dismissal (ED). A parent or guardian must call in advance or send a signed note. A student returning from an ED must report to the Attendance Office upon return. “After the fact” parent permission is not legally permissible. Bella Vista maintains a strict closed campus policy. A student who leaves school without an ED is Truant and in violation of the closed campus policy. Such violations could result in a Saturday School being assigned.

School sites are able to serve students who meet the minimum criteria and will miss five to fourteen consecutive days of school through Short-Term Independent Study (STIS). Absences MUST BE for unexcused reasons and pre-planned. Requests not meeting that criteria may contact the front desk for a homework request. Serving students through STIS helps students academically and helps the district re-capture lost ADA.

Please submit requests at least 2 school weeks prior to the student not attending school to request a short term independent study contract.  Although STIS accommodates most students, principals may deny the request based on conflict with testing, academic and attendance concerns, or past incomplete contracts.

To submit a request for STIS, please send an email to bellavistafrontdesk@sanjuan.edu.  Include your student's name and the dates they will be absent from school.

EC Section 46300(e)(1) allows districts to claim apportionment for students "participating in independent study" for five or more consecutive school days.

There is no distinction in law between short-term and long-term independent study— the same legal requirements must be met in either case. The phrase "short-term independent study" refers to independent study provided to a classroom-based student who needs to be away from school and on independent study for a short period of time (usually a matter of days or weeks) but who will return to the classroom. In these cases, the student’s classroom teacher often serves as the independent study supervising teacher and provides the independent study assignments (coursework the student would have covered had he or she remained in the classroom during this period).

Zero period classes are a privilege, not a right, and are only accommodated based upon availability.  Students who are enrolled in a zero period will have their attendance closely monitored.  Students with more than 8 absences or more than 5 tardies (in any class) in the current semester are not eligible to enroll in a zero period for the following year.  If attendance falls below the above standard, the zero period class will be immediately dropped and rescheduled during the regular school day.  Students must leave campus at the end of their school day and return after 6^th period for extra-curricular activities.