Attendance Procedures

JAMES MONROE MIDDLE SCHOOL

Ridgecrest, CA  93555

Attendance Procedures

In order to achieve the best that James Monroe School has to offer, both in education and activities, attendance at school is a must!  Listed below are a few regulations about attendance that you should know and understand:

A.  Full and Partial Day Absence Procedures
When a student is absent, parents or guardians are requested to call the attendance office at 499-1830, AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE ON THE DAY OF THE ABSENCE.  A written note by the parent may also be submitted.  The note must include the date, periods, reason for the absence, and parent signature.  Attendance office hours are 7:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m.  All absences must be cleared immediately.  Absences left un-cleared for three days will be considered unexcused and may be classified as a truancy, which in turn may require Saturday school attendance to make up for the unexcused absence(s).

B. Closed Campus
James Monroe School maintains a closed campus policy. Students must, unless picked up and signed out by parents, remain on school grounds during school hours.  Parents are encouraged to join their students for lunch on campus and/or take their student off-campus for lunch.  

C. Off-Campus Permit
Anytime a student must leave campus for any reason, he/she must go to the attendance office to get an off-campus permit prior to leaving.  This permit is only issued with parent/guardian permission, and the parent/guardian MUST come to the office for the student.  ANY STUDENT LEAVING CAMPUS DURING SCHOOL HOURS WITHOUT AN OFF-CAMPUS PERMIT WILL BE CONSIDERED TRUANT. Only those adult people who are listed on the student's emergency card may pick-up a student during school hours.

D. Hall Passes
A hall pass is necessary if a student needs to leave class for any reason.  Hall passes are issued by the classroom teacher. No student may be out of class during class time without a hall pass. (Signatures required on assignment journal, may substitute for a hall pass.)

E. Messages

The office cannot be responsible for reminding students of dental or doctor appointments, nor can they deliver non-emergency messages to students. Any exceptions must be approved by the administration.

F. Telephone
The office telephone is not to be used by students except in a case of emergency or illness only! 

G. Accident or Injury

If an accident or injury occurs during the school day, no matter how minor, the student must report it to the teacher, who in turn reports the accident to a staff member on duty in the school office.   An accident report must be filled out for every accident! 

H. Attendance Office Records
It is critical that the attendance office have accurate and up-to-date information on file.  Please notify the attendance office promptly if there are any changes of name, address, e-mail or telephone numbers (work/home), and contact person’s current information.  (Please keep the emergency card information current!)

I.  Study Contracts
Study contracts may be issued to a student from the attendance office if a student has to be absent for five or more days for a legitimate reason not covered by illness, Dr.'s appointment, or death of an immediate family member.  Study contracts are NOT issued if student will be absent less than 5 days.  The request for a student study contract MUST be made 48 hours in advance so that all the student’s teachers may get assignments ready.  Upon return, the completed study contract with work attached must be given to the teachers to be graded. Once the work is graded the student will turn it in to the attendance office in order to be valid.  If the study contract is not completed, then the absences become unexcused and may result in the student attending Saturday school or lunch detention(s) and failing that portion of class.

J.  Tardies
It is extremely important to develop good habits; such as being to school on time!  If a   student is tardy to school then the student will serve lunch detention the day of the tardy.  For those cases that come up where it is "not the fault" of the student, two tardy passes are issued to students each quarter to be released from detention.  If the two tardy passes are not used then they may be turned in for a reward at the end of the quarter.

K.  Detention
There are two basic types of detention at James Monroe Middle School:    

1. Teacher Assigned Detention:  This detention is assigned by the student’s teacher for classroom infractions (i.e. classroom misbehavior, missing assignments and/or homework, breaking rules, etc..) and will be served with the teacher.  The detention  maybe assigned for a period of time (before or after school or during lunch time) ranging from a few minutes up to one hour.  Any before or after school detention will have a written notification sent home to parents via student 24-hours before the detention is to be served. Noon Duty Aides may also assign detention for misbehavior during lunch time ‘recess’.

2. Administrative Detention:  This detention is assigned by either the Principal,  Assistant Principal and sometimes by the counselor.  This detention can be for any infractions or school rule violations.  This detention is served either at lunch or after school until 3:05. Students will be given written notice of their after school detention the day prior to serving in order that they can make arrangements to get home.

*NOTE: The student may face suspension from school for defiance if they fail to serve any of their assigned detention(s).

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