Attendance Policies

All students must attend school every day.  Students are expected to:

1. Attend school every day except when ill.
2. Attend every class on time (School begins at 7:55 am, 8:45 am on Mondays).
3. Report absences to the attendance office with a phone call by parent or present a note from parent the following day.  Absences more than 3 consecutive days must have a doctor’s note.
4. Students must bring a note to verify the absence. (see example)
5. Provide a doctor’s note for absences that are longer than three days.
6. Attend Saturday School the month of the absence if there is no doctor or dentist’s note.
7. Have no more than 18 absences for the whole year.

Immediately upon arriving to school following an absence of one or more days, the student must present a note to the Attendance Office.  Unexcused absences are considered Truants and will not receive make-up work from teacher. 

Absences

Bell Gardens High School takes period-by-period attendance.  Student’s home will be contacted if the student is marked absent druing the day.  After three consecutive days of absence, an Attendance Officer will make a home visit to contact parent regarding the absences.  Notes must have the date of the absence, student name and ID number, reason for absence, and guardian signature.  Doctor and dentist notes are preferred.  One absence every month can be recuperated through Saturday School.

Truant/Cutting class

Truancy is defined as any absence from school without parent knowledge and/or permission. All absences not cleared with a note are considered truancies and must be made up with a Saturday School.  Make up work, including quizzes and testes, will only be given at the discretion of the teacher.  Any of the following will be considered class truancy AND MAY BE CITED BY SCHOOL POLICE ($140 TICKET):

• Failing to attend class and not having a valid excuse
• Leaving any class under false pretenses
• Leaving a class or school grounds without permission
• 15 or more minutes late to class
• Loitering around the city

**Activities are school sponsored and BGHS reserves the right to deny participation to any student for excessive absences, truancies, or unverified absences.

Tardies to class

• Teachers will lock their doors when the tardy bell rings and immediately take roll.
• Any students coming in after roll has been taken will be marked tardy.
• Students 15 minutes or more late to class are considered truant.
• Students with 3 or more tardies will be assigned Saturday School.