Regular school attendance and promptness are crucial if students are to be successful academically. Therefore, the staff of Santa Monica High School monitors student absences and tardies and works with students and families to ensure that every student attends school regularly, is prepared, and arrives on time.

Students must attend class unless excused by an administrator at the request of a parent or teacher, or the student is participating in a school-related activity. Students are responsible for attending all classes, being on time, and being prepared to engage with instruction.

Samohi’s attendance obligations policy requires students to restore unexcused absences/obligations once they accrue 18 or more period absences. They can restore these obligations by attending Super Saturday/Tutoring/On-Campus Community Service etc. Restoring attendance obligations does not clear attendance from Aeries as this is legal documentation of classroom attendance. Due to state and district policies, students will continue to receive notifications from the district regarding excessive absences/truancy.

Parents are responsible for notifying the appropriate office regarding any student absence, excused or unexcused. Absences must be cleared within 72 hours from the date of absence in order to have your child’s attendance record up to date. Absences that are not cleared within 72 hours will be recorded as truant/ cut or “C” in Aeries.

All tardies are considered unexused tardies and will be noted in Aeries with a “Y”. Excused tardies are primarily for school-related late arrivals to class or if documentation is presented by the parent or guardian for the tardy that meets the “excused” absence criteria and is presented in the house office at the time the student arrives to school. No tardies will be excused after the student attends class, regardless of the reason.

When leaving a phone message or writing an excuse note, please indicate your child’s full name, grade, student ID number, your relationship with the child, the date of the absence, and the reason for the absence.

Attendance can be reported by email:
AttendancePBL@smmusd.org
AttendanceSHouse@smmusd.org
AttendanceAHouse@smmusd.org
AttendanceMHouse@smmusd.org
AttendanceOHouse@smmusd.org

Parent Notification

Each day a student is absent, the parent or guardian will receive a recorded message from the district’s computer dialing system, including absences for school-related reasons (athletic events, testing, counseling, etc.) so that families are aware of the absence. If your student will be out of school for an extended period of time (five school days or longer), please contact the House Office.

Method of Verification (SMMUSD AR 5113)

When a student who has been absent returns to school, he/she shall present a satisfactory explanation verifying the reason for the absence. Absences shall be verified by the student's parent/guardian, another person having control of the minor, or the student if age 18 or older. (Education Code 46012; 5 CCR 306)

The following methods may be used to verify student absences:

1. Written note, fax, or email from parent/guardian or parent representative.
2. Conversation, in person or by telephone, between the verifying employee and the student's parent/guardian or parent representative. The employee shall subsequently record the following:
   a. Name of student
   b. Name of parent/guardian or parent representative
   c. Name of verifying employee
   d. Date(s) of absence (or period(s) if the absence was less than 1 day)
   e. Reason for absence
3. A visit to the student's home by the verifying employee, or any other reasonable method which establishes the fact that the student was absent for the reasons stated. The employee shall document the verification and include the information specified in item #2 above.
4. Physician's verification.
   a. When excusing students for confidential medical services or verifying such appointments, district staff should not ask the purpose of such appointments but may contact a medical office to confirm the time of the appointment.
   b. When a student has had 5 full-day absences in the school year for illness verified by methods listed in #1-3 above, any further absences for illness shall be verified by a physician.