Contacts » Attendance

Attendance

24 hour message lines (See tabs below for specifics on each situation): 
 
To leave campus early call - 858-485-4842 (off-campus passes)
 
For absence or tardy call - 858-485-4840
 
PLEASE NOTE: Listed emergency contacts are for a school emergency only. Emergency contacts listed for your student do not have permission to check a student out or to clear absence/tardy.

Absence | Call  858-485-4840   

It is the responsibility of the parent/guardian to report their student’s absence to the Attendance Office within 72 hours (per PUSD Board Policy) of the absence or it will be considered a truancy.  Call 858-485-4840.
 
Leave the following information:
  • Student ID number
  • Name of student, (please spell the last name)
  • Grade level of student
  • The date of the absence(s)
  • The reason for the absence(s)
  • Name of person excusing absence and their relationship to student
  • A contact number we can call should we have questions
 

Doctor/Dentist Notes

Whenever possible, please have students bring Doctors’/Dentists' notes to the Attendance Office to verify office visits or Doctor’s orders/care for chronic illness or other medical reasons. A Doctor’s note with specific dates will excuse the corresponding school days a student was absent, as “medically excused” by the state of California.
 

Notes

We do not accept notes from parents to excuse absences or tardies.  Please call 858-485-4840.
 

Marked Absent by Mistake

If your student feels that they have been market absent by mistake they need to talk to their teacher.  Your student's teacher will need to correct the mistake.
 

Truants/class cuts

Students who miss an entire day of school without being excused by their parent/guardian within 72 hours are considered truant from school and are subject to disciplinary action.
 

Excessive Absences and Truancies

A student who has ten excused (partial and full) absences is considered excessively absent (this includes tardies in excess of 15 minutes). A student who has three unexcused absences is considered truant.  For excessive excused absences or truancies, students are referred to a SART (School Attendance Review Team). 

Tardy | Call  858-485-4840 

If your child is going to be tardy you may excuse their first period of the day by contacting the attendance 24-Hour hotline: 858-485-4840. Please indicate the time your student will arrive to school.
Leave the following information:
 
  • Student ID number
  • Name of student, (please spell the last name)
  • Grade level of student
  • The date of the absence(s)
  • The reason for the absence(s)
  • Name of person excusing absence and their relationship to student
  • A contact number we can call should we have questions
 

Arriving Late to School

Any student arriving more than 15 minutes late to school must check in at the Attendance Office.  If you arrive during the first 15 minutes of your day proceed directly to your class.
 

Notes

We do not accept notes from parents to excuse absences or tardies.  Please call 858-485-4840.
 

Marked Tardy by Mistake

If your student feels that they have been marked tardy by mistake they need to talk to their teacher.  Your student's teacher will need to correct the mistake.

Off-Campus Passes | Call 858-485-4842 (Off-camps passes for early dismissal) 

Students are responsible for picking up their pass from the attendance office before school, during break or at lunch. 
We do not interrupt class to deliver passes.
 
Parents or legal guardians only please leave the following information to request your pass  at 858-485-4842.
 
  • Student ID number
  • Name of student (please spell last name)
  • Grade level of student
  • Date and time the student needs to leave school
  • Reason student is leaving early
  • Are they returning? Please leave approximate time of return
  • Name of person calling and relationship
  • Contact number should we have questions
 
We ask that you call the day before to request the pass, so that we can prepare the pass and have it ready for your student the next day​.  However, should you discover your student needs to leave the same day, please request the pass at least three (3) hours before the student needs to leave campus.  If three hour notice is not possible the parent/guardian will need to come to the Attendance Office and show ID to check out the student.
 

Finals

Please note that during finals, we cannot disturb the class and off-campus passes will not be issued. Students cannot leave during class and are expected to stay for the entire period.
 

Notes

We do not accept notes from parents to excuse absences or tardies.  Please call 858-485-4840.
 

Truant

Under no circumstances may a student leave campus during regular school hours without checking out through the attendance office/health office.  We do not accept notes for students who need to leave school early.  Students that leave campus without a pass are considered truant.  Calling after the student has left campus does not excuse the truancy.  Truancy may results in after school attendance intervention.

Health Office | Call  858-485-4800 ext. 4830 

Questions for our Health Tech Lexi Colvin
All unwell students will be referred to the Health Office.  If a student becomes ill during school hours, they are to go directly to the Health Office where parents are contacted and students will be checked out if medically necessary.  If the student is in class they should ask the teacher for a pass to the Health Office.

FAQ / General Information

My Student has an appointment what do I do?

Call 858-485-4842 to leave a message a day or two before your student's appointment.  The student is responsible for picking up their off-campus pass from the Attendance Office.  See our section on Off-Campus Passes for more detailed information.
 

Who can excuse a student's tardy or absence?

The legal parent or guardian has the authority to excuse an absence or tardy. Listed emergency contacts are for a school emergency only. Emergency contacts listed for your student do not have permission to check a student out of school or to clear absence/tardy.
 

Who can pick up my student from school?

You can designate anyone to pick up your student.  A legal parent or guardian is the one who needs to call the school to give permission for a student to leave school early.  See our section on Off-Campus Passes for more detailed information if your student needs to leave school early.
 

We are going on vacation.  What should we do?

Anytime your student will be missing class they should talk to their teachers about how best to keep up while they are away.  We do have an Off Campus Independant Study (OCIS) program for students who will be missing ten or more consecutive school days. This program is regulated by the state of California and requires more of the student than direct contact with their teachers.  See our OCIS section of this webpage.   If an OCIS contract has not been approved the parent needs to call the Attendance Office with the dates of the absence to excuse the absence.
 

What do I do if my student gets sick at school?

Students who are not feeling well are referred to the Health Office.  If your student is ill in the classroom they should ask their teacher for a pass to the Health Office.  The health attendant will contact the parent or legal guardian if permission is needed for the student to leave school.  All ill students that need to go home will be checked out through the Health Office.
 

Attendance Policy

All students, until they are 18 years old, are required by California’s Education Code to attend school.  The law charges parents/guardians with the responsibility to ensure their children attend every scheduled session of every class with punctuality.  A student’s refusal to attend school regularly can result in referral to the SARB (School Attendance Review Board), Juvenile Probation and the Juvenile Court System. Once a student becomes 18 years old, they become a guest at Rancho Bernardo High School and can be withdrawn from school if their academic progress, attendance, or behavior is not acceptable.

  • Students are expected to be in school every day and in classes on time.  This means in the classroom before the tardy bell rings and prepared to learn (homework completed, necessary books and supplies ready). 
  • Punctuality is an important life skill and tardiness is extremely disruptive to the educational process.  A student is considered tardy if he/she is not in the classroom when the tardy bell rings. 
  • Regular daily attendance is a key factor to the success a student achieves at school.  Absence from school limits a student’s educational opportunities, which can have a direct impact on his/her grades, academic achievement, self-esteem, and ultimately their success in future endeavors.
  • If students are well and are able to attend school, please encourage regular attendance.  Whenever possible, schedule doctor appointments and other non-school activities outside of the instructional day.
 
90% Attendance sounds good, but means that your student misses:
  • One half day each week
  • Nearly four weeks every school year
  • Over one school year in a school career
 
Students can only benefit and make the most of their educational opportunities if they attend school regularly and on time.  Students who miss school, miss out on opportunities to learn and develop the skills and attitudes necessary to become good citizens and valued employees.  There is a clear connection between student attendance and student performance in school.  Every day counts.

Off Campus Independent Study - OCIS

Because of our accelerated schedule we do not recommend that students miss school. However we do acknowledge that there will be instances where students will need to be absent for extended periods. RBHS will only be doing OCIS contracts for 5 consecutive missed school days or more and the completed contract must be turned in to the front office Reception desk at least eight (8) working days before the student leaves.

What to do:

  1. The student picks up the Master OCIS Agreement from the front office Reception Desk and takes it home to fill it out and get signatures.
  2. The student returns the completed form to the front office Reception Desk at least eight (8) working days before the student will be missing school.
  3. When the teacher contracts are ready the student will distribute the contracts to their teachers. 
  4. The day before the student leaves they will need to collect the completed contracts from teachers and bring them to the front office Reception Desk.
  5. On the student's last day of class they will need to pick up their completed packet from the front office Reception desk.
  6. At the end of the OCIS contract, all work must be turned in at the reception desk before the student attends school.

Don't fit the guidelines?

District policy states that students have the right to receive and complete work so that they will not get behind in their coursework. Any time your student will be missing school please have your student speak to their teachers about assignments they will be missing, what is expected, and how best to keep up.  Be sure to call or email the Attendance Office to excuse your student's absence.

SARB/SART (Student Attendance Review Board)

California Education Code obligates parents or guardians to comply with the attendance of students at school. Parents or guardians who fail to meet this obligation may be guilty of an infraction and subject to legal action pursuant to Article 6 of Chapter II of Part 27 of The Education Code.  They will be referred to the district attorney.
 
Twelve excused absences are considered excessive and a Student Attendance Review Board (SARB) letter will be sent to the district office, unless the student brings in a doctor's note for the absence. Subsequent absences will result in issuance of additional letters.
 

SART (Student Attendance Review Team)

Students who are absent for three days or tardy for more than thirty-minute period on three occasions will receive a truancy letter. If the truancy continues a second and third letter will go home to the parents and the Student Attendance and Welfare Coordinator. This also applies to excessive excused students.  Students with truancies or excessive excused absences will be referred to a Student Attendance Review Team. This team is comprised of Poway Unified School District personnel and works with the student and parents to eliminate attendance problems and issues appropriate disciplinary measures.
Compulsory attendance laws require that parents send their children to school. The law further states that a student must attend every scheduled session of every class, even if failure is imminent. The law applies to all students until they reach 18 years old. Once a student becomes 18 years old, they become a guest at Rancho Bernardo High School and can be withdrawn from school if their academic progress, attendance, or behavior is not acceptable.

Attendance Office Hours:

During the regular school year:
Monday - Friday 7:00am - 2:30pm.
 
During the summer: (Closed in July) Monday - Friday 8:00am - 12:00pm 
 
Attendance Clerk:  Gina Baxter,
 
[email protected]