Attendance Guidelines

  • Class attendance is an essential part of the educational process at Malibu High School. The student who is absent from class misses a significant portion of academic discussion and personal interaction with other students and the teacher. Malibu High School receives funding from the state based on daily attendance. Every time your student misses school, regardless of the reason, we lose state funds. Illnesses are unavoidable, but appointments, vacations and day trips during school should be avoided.

    How to Excuse an Absence
    Parents have to send a signed note (Click here to download parent note form) when their child returns to school. The note should contain the following information:

    1. Printed first and last name of the student with id #.
    2. The specific reason for the absence.
    3. Date of absence; period(s) absent if less than an entire day.
    4. A phone number where the parent can be reached for verification.
    5. Parent signature

    Before school starts, the student takes the note to the attendance office where a “re-admit” is issued that allows the student back into class. The student must keep the re-admit in a safe place and show it to each of their teachers throughout the day. This allows teachers to account for all students. Failure to provide a signed parent's excuse note will result in Full Day Friday school.

    There are automatic computer generated letters mailed home to parents when students have had multiple absences, both excused and/or unexcused. These letters follow the legal codes regarding compulsory attendance. Please note that we take habitual absences seriously. If appropriate, a referral to the School Attendance Review Board (SARB) is made.

    STUDENTS WHO BECOME ILL AT SCHOOL
    Students are not to leave school without first going to the Health Office (or the Attendance Office if the nurse is not on campus). Students may not call from any other phone or leave campus on their own. This includes the lunch period. The nurse will contact a parent/guardian to release the student from school. It is imperative that the nurse has an accurate emergency card on file for each student. Students must have a teacher's note in order to be admitted to the nurse’s office. Consequences will be given if the procedure is not followed.

    CLOSED CAMPUS POLICY
    We are a closed campus. Students are not to leave the campus unless they have parents' permission and have received an off-campus permit from the attendance office. Students who do not follow this procedure will be considered truant, and appropriate disciplinary consequences will result.

    EARLY DEPARTURES
    Parents are to write notes in advance of the student’s early departure from school. The note should contain the following information:

    1. Printed first and last name of student and ID#.
    2. Date and time the student will be leaving school.
    3. The reason for leaving early.
    4. A phone number for verification of the note.
    5. Parent signature

    Students are to come to the Attendance Office before school to obtain their readmit. This will facilitate minimal distraction when the student leaves class. We urge parents to make arrangements for early departures ahead of time whenever feasible.

    TRUANCY
    When a student is absent from school without the parent’s knowledge or permission, the absence is considered a truancy and is unexcused by the school. In addition, students who leave campus, even with parent’s permission, but do not check out in the Attendance/Nurse's Office will be considered truant. Students who exhibit a continual problem with attendance will be referred to the Student Attendance Review Board (SARB). Truancies for one or more periods will result in consequences ranging from detention to suspension, depending on frequency.

    • Leaving school without permission is treated as truancy.
    • Missing part of class without an excuse is treated as a truancy.
    • Notes from the parent after-the-fact are invalid and will not be honored.

    Tardy Policy
    Students are required to get to each class on time. A copy of the school schedule is located online and is also located at the front of the student assignment book. Students who are more than 30 minutes tardy to a class will be considered truant and absent. The Tardy Policy is as follows:

    1st - 4th Tardies Teacher/Administrator Action:
    The teacher decides the consequence (warning, teacher detention, service to school, etc); contact parents at least once.
    Student Consequence:
    Teacher decides the consequence

    5th Tardy Teacher/Administrator Action:
    Referral to administrator with listing of consequences given, dates of tardies and date of parent contact
    Student Consequence:
    One hour after school detention

    6th - 9th Tardies Teacher/Administrator Action:
    Referral to administrator with listing of consequences given, dates of tardies and date of parent contact
    Student Consequence:
    One hour after school detention in room 101A

    10th - 12th Tardies Teacher/Administrator Action:
    Referral to administrator
    Student Consequence:
    Full Day Friday

    15th Tardy Teacher/Administrator Action:
    Referral to administrator
    Student Consequence:
    Parent conference / SARB referral