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District

Attendance Policy

Attendance Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's)

The Bass Lake Joint Union Elementary School District is dedicated to academic achievement and success for all pupils.  The district works diligently to be sure that our students are in school on time, every day. Regular school attendance is a critical part of the overall success for our students. Our district is committed to increasing the attendance rate at all of our district schools. High attendance rates result in improved academic skills, as well as social and emotional growth for our pupils.  

If you have any questions regarding attendance, please contact your child’s school.  

Here are some Frequently Asked Questions about the school district’s attendance policies:

  • When a student is absent from school, a telephone call from the parent or guardian by 9:00 am that day is required with the following information:

    • Student’s name

    • Reason for absence

    • Anticipated duration of absence

       If a student has been absent and no call has been made, then the student must bring a written note to school with the following information when he/she returns:

    • Date of note and date(s) of absence(s)

    • Reason for absence

    • Signature of parent or guardian

  • California Education Code 46010 stipulates absences are excused for the following reasons: 

    • Personal illness

    • Quarantine as ordered by a health official

    • Medical, dental appointments

    • Attendance of a funeral for an immediate family member

    • Jury Duty

    • Participation in religious instruction or exercises

    • Verified court appearance 

  • Any absences that does not meet the  criteria listed above is considered an unexcused absence. These include:

    • Family Vacation

    • More than 3 days illness without a doctor’s note

    • Personal issues

    • Transportation issues

    • Slept in, shopping, dog ran away…

  • The State of California considers any absences (excused or unexcused) numbering over 10% of the school year to be excessive.  A student with an attendance rate of less than 90% is considered excessively absent. Parents may be notified by letter if their child has excessive absences at any time during the school year.

  • SARB stands for School Attendance Review Board. In Eastern Madera County, this Board is made up of representatives from 4 school districts (Bass Lake Elementary, Yosemite Unified, Chawanakee Unified and Raymond-Knowles Elementary).  Also on the Board are law enforcement officials, social services representatives and counseling staff. The SARB group works closely with the District Attorney’s office, and ultimately, they can prosecute the parents of students who have too many absences. The goal of the Eastern Madera County SARB is to provide assistance to families who are struggling with getting their children to school every day prior to making a referral to the court system.

  • SARB letters are generated regularly throughout the year. You will receive a letter when your child has had unexcused absences. 

    • 1st Warning Letter- (3 unexcused absences) 

    • 2nd Letter- Meeting with Principal (5 absences) 

    • 3rd Letter- Mini SARB with principal and district SARB Coordinator (7 absences) Attendance contract established. 

    • Next unexcused absence  - student referred to Eastern Madera County SARB 

    • SARB Contract and referred to Madera County Probation 

    • Violation of SARB contract results in court referral

Dear Bass Lake School District Families,

We are excited to announce the launch of Attendance Plus, a new component within ParentSquare designed to enhance communication and support student attendance!

What is Attendance Plus?

Attendance Plus is a powerful tool that will help us better track and communicate about student attendance. Through Attendance Plus, you will receive notifications regarding your students' attendance. Our goal is to make it even easier for families and schools to work together to ensure every student is present and engaged in their learning.

Our Commitment to Decreasing Chronic Absenteeism

At Bass Lake School District, we understand the profound impact that consistent school attendance has on a student's academic and social-emotional development. We are actively working to decrease our chronic absenteeism rate, and we are proud to share some progress thanks to the dedication of our families, staff, and students!

In the 2022-2023 school year, our District Chronic Absenteeism rate was 31.1%. We are pleased to report that in the 2023-2024 school year, this rate dropped to 25.2%! While this is a significant improvement, we recognize there is still work to be done to reach our goal of being below the state's 2023-2024 chronic absenteeism rate of 18.6%.

Thank you for being our partners in education. Together, we can make this a successful and engaging school year for every student.

Sincerely,

Michelle Townsend

Superintendent


Attendance Plus Information