Attendance Policy
Regular school attendance is a necessary part of the learning process and the means to graduate with a quality education and a diploma. Frequent absences put a student’s education and future in jeopardy. Because of NWP's Project-Based program it is essential that your student attend school each day, and arrive on time. Most of NWP's block classes are group-oriented. Each student is a member of a group whose success depends on the presence and participation of everyone in that group. Please make every effort to ensure that your student is in school on time, each day, unless they are ill.
Teachers will allow students to make up the work missed during absences to the degree it is possible for such work to be completed outside of school. Please contact individual teachers by email and visit their websites for more information about absences.
Excused Absences:
Personal Illness
Quarantine under city or county direction
Medical, dental, optometry, or chiropractic services - Students are strongly urged to make appointments during non-school hours.
Bereavement (death of immediate family members or loved one)
Religious holidays
Jury duty or court appointment (Absences must be approved in advance by an administrator).
Unexcused Absences:
Truancy
Oversleeping, car troubles, missing the bus/ride, etc.
Babysitting
Vacations
Personal business
Reporting Absences
Please call the NWP office @ 522-3320 to report your student’s absence. For your convenience you may call 24 hours a day and leave a message. If the parent or guardian does not call, the student must bring a note, signed and dated by you, which explains the nature and the day(s) of her/his absence.
Absence Verification
When a student returns to school after an absence, he/she MUST present a satisfactory explanation verifying the reason for the absence within 3 days. After 3 days w/out verification of an excused reason, the absence will be considered unexcused and the student will be considered truant.
The following may be used to verify absences:
1. Written note from parent/guardian, parent representative, or student - if 18 or older (EC46012).
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 and reason for absence
3. 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. A written recording shall be made, including information outlined above.
4. Physician's verification
a. When excusing students for confidential medical services or verifying such appointments, district staff shall 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 10 absences in the school year for illness verified by methods listed in #1-3 above, any further absences for illness must be verified by a physician.
5. Any other reasonable method that establishes the fact that the student was actually absent for the reasons stated. A written record shall be made, including information outlined above.
When a student arrives to school 10 or more minutes late, whether it is excused or not, he/she must report to the Attendance Office before going to class to have his/her arrival time documented.
***Absences and tardies not cleared within three days will be considered unexcused and count towards truancy.***
Planned Absences
Whenever possible please plan vacations, trips, and appointments during non-school hours. When your student misses classes, even for one day, it seriously impacts teaching, learning, and school funding. If this is unavoidable, and your student has an appointment during school hours, a parent must sign out the student in the office prior to leaving campus. Please send a note or call the office to inform us ahead of time. When returning to campus later in the day, the student must first come to the office before returning to class.
Students can always access their work and their current assignments online in Google Docs and on the Northwest Prep and teacher's websites.
Make-up Work
A student with an excused absence from school shall be allowed to complete all assignments missed during the absence and, upon satisfactory completion, be given full credit. The minimum number of days allowed for such make-up is equivalent to the number of days the student has been absent.
Students must contact teachers to obtain make up work. Teachers can be contacted via email. The assignments shall be reasonably equivalent to, but not necessarily identical to, the tests and assignments that the student missed during the absence. A student may not have his or her grade reduced or lose academic credit for any excused absence when missed assignments and tests are satisfactorily completed within a reasonable period of time (EC 48205).
A parent or guardian may request make-up work only after their student has been out for at least 2 days and is going to continue being out. Please do not request work for 2 days or less of absences. Parents may email teachers directly or request work through the school office. Work requested through the main office will be collected and brought up to the main office for pick up. You may pick up the school work after 2:30pm and before 4:00pm the following business day after the request is made. Failure to pick up requested work could result in teachers not sending make-up in the future. Please contact the office if anything changes regarding your request as soon as possible.
Test and quizzes can and will most likely be made up during lunch and/or after school. It is your student's responsibility to arrange with their teacher(s) directly about a time to make up such missed items.
All homework and school work that is due when the student is out (for an excused reason) will be turned in directly to teachers upon returning to regular classes for full credit (unless alternative arrangements have been made directly with teachers).
Any questions regarding this matter, or if you are without email access to request make-up work, please call Ms. Shields @ 707.522.3320.
Short-Term Independent Study
Short-Term Independent Study may be an option for students who have unavoidable absences and will be absent for one (1) to fifteen (15) days throughout the year. Eligible students may have their parent apply for a Short-Term Independent Study contract at the school attendance office at least one business days before the student absence begins. If a student must be gone for more than 15 days, the student must be withdrawn from Northwest Prep PBL and enrolled in the Northwest Prep Homestudy Program or in the student's district of residency.
If a student does not meet the eligibility requirements for a Short-Term Independent Study contract, the absences will be considered to be “unexcused,” and will be added in when considering truancy referrals for the student.
Short-Term Independent Study contracts will NOT be issued during fall and spring exhibition periods and state testing periods, nor during finals weeks (which are the last weeks of each semester).
All contracted work must be submitted to the school on the contracted day of return and will be kept on file for audit records. If all the contracted work is returned with satisfactory progress, the student will maintain a clear attendance record. If the student’s work is unsatisfactory, or incomplete, the school can only grant excused days of absence for the amount of satisfactory work returned. The additional days of absence will be considered unexcused, and will count towards truancy limits.
If a student had any unexcused absence(s) due to failure to complete work on an initial Short-Term Independent Study contract, a second Short-Term Independent Study contract will not be granted for that school year.
Late/Tardy/Truancy/Cuts/Unverified Absences
According to state law, a student is considered truant who is "absent from school without a valid excuse more than three days in one school year or tardy or absent for more than any 30-minute period during the school day without a valid excuse on three occasions in one school year, or any combination thereof.” The formal procedure for addressing truancy problems includes SART meetings, referring students to the District Attorney’s office, and to the Student Attendance Review Board for further action.
Teachers will allow students to make up the work missed during absences to the degree it is possible for such work to be completed outside of school. Please contact individual teachers by email and visit their websites for more information about absences.
Excused Absences:
Personal Illness
Quarantine under city or county direction
Medical, dental, optometry, or chiropractic services - Students are strongly urged to make appointments during non-school hours.
Bereavement (death of immediate family members or loved one)
Religious holidays
Jury duty or court appointment (Absences must be approved in advance by an administrator).
Unexcused Absences:
Truancy
Oversleeping, car troubles, missing the bus/ride, etc.
Babysitting
Vacations
Personal business
Reporting Absences
Please call the NWP office @ 522-3320 to report your student’s absence. For your convenience you may call 24 hours a day and leave a message. If the parent or guardian does not call, the student must bring a note, signed and dated by you, which explains the nature and the day(s) of her/his absence.
Absence Verification
When a student returns to school after an absence, he/she MUST present a satisfactory explanation verifying the reason for the absence within 3 days. After 3 days w/out verification of an excused reason, the absence will be considered unexcused and the student will be considered truant.
The following may be used to verify absences:
1. Written note from parent/guardian, parent representative, or student - if 18 or older (EC46012).
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 and reason for absence
3. 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. A written recording shall be made, including information outlined above.
4. Physician's verification
a. When excusing students for confidential medical services or verifying such appointments, district staff shall 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 10 absences in the school year for illness verified by methods listed in #1-3 above, any further absences for illness must be verified by a physician.
5. Any other reasonable method that establishes the fact that the student was actually absent for the reasons stated. A written record shall be made, including information outlined above.
When a student arrives to school 10 or more minutes late, whether it is excused or not, he/she must report to the Attendance Office before going to class to have his/her arrival time documented.
***Absences and tardies not cleared within three days will be considered unexcused and count towards truancy.***
Planned Absences
Whenever possible please plan vacations, trips, and appointments during non-school hours. When your student misses classes, even for one day, it seriously impacts teaching, learning, and school funding. If this is unavoidable, and your student has an appointment during school hours, a parent must sign out the student in the office prior to leaving campus. Please send a note or call the office to inform us ahead of time. When returning to campus later in the day, the student must first come to the office before returning to class.
Students can always access their work and their current assignments online in Google Docs and on the Northwest Prep and teacher's websites.
Make-up Work
A student with an excused absence from school shall be allowed to complete all assignments missed during the absence and, upon satisfactory completion, be given full credit. The minimum number of days allowed for such make-up is equivalent to the number of days the student has been absent.
Students must contact teachers to obtain make up work. Teachers can be contacted via email. The assignments shall be reasonably equivalent to, but not necessarily identical to, the tests and assignments that the student missed during the absence. A student may not have his or her grade reduced or lose academic credit for any excused absence when missed assignments and tests are satisfactorily completed within a reasonable period of time (EC 48205).
A parent or guardian may request make-up work only after their student has been out for at least 2 days and is going to continue being out. Please do not request work for 2 days or less of absences. Parents may email teachers directly or request work through the school office. Work requested through the main office will be collected and brought up to the main office for pick up. You may pick up the school work after 2:30pm and before 4:00pm the following business day after the request is made. Failure to pick up requested work could result in teachers not sending make-up in the future. Please contact the office if anything changes regarding your request as soon as possible.
Test and quizzes can and will most likely be made up during lunch and/or after school. It is your student's responsibility to arrange with their teacher(s) directly about a time to make up such missed items.
All homework and school work that is due when the student is out (for an excused reason) will be turned in directly to teachers upon returning to regular classes for full credit (unless alternative arrangements have been made directly with teachers).
Any questions regarding this matter, or if you are without email access to request make-up work, please call Ms. Shields @ 707.522.3320.
Short-Term Independent Study
Short-Term Independent Study may be an option for students who have unavoidable absences and will be absent for one (1) to fifteen (15) days throughout the year. Eligible students may have their parent apply for a Short-Term Independent Study contract at the school attendance office at least one business days before the student absence begins. If a student must be gone for more than 15 days, the student must be withdrawn from Northwest Prep PBL and enrolled in the Northwest Prep Homestudy Program or in the student's district of residency.
- To be eligible for a Short-Term Independent Study contract, students must have satisfactory academic progress and attendance:
Academic: A 2.0 Grade Point Average (GPA) and no more than one F grade (as determined by the most recent progress report or semester grades) are required. - Attendance Requirements: No more than 21 periods of unexcused absence since the start of school.
If a student does not meet the eligibility requirements for a Short-Term Independent Study contract, the absences will be considered to be “unexcused,” and will be added in when considering truancy referrals for the student.
Short-Term Independent Study contracts will NOT be issued during fall and spring exhibition periods and state testing periods, nor during finals weeks (which are the last weeks of each semester).
All contracted work must be submitted to the school on the contracted day of return and will be kept on file for audit records. If all the contracted work is returned with satisfactory progress, the student will maintain a clear attendance record. If the student’s work is unsatisfactory, or incomplete, the school can only grant excused days of absence for the amount of satisfactory work returned. The additional days of absence will be considered unexcused, and will count towards truancy limits.
If a student had any unexcused absence(s) due to failure to complete work on an initial Short-Term Independent Study contract, a second Short-Term Independent Study contract will not be granted for that school year.
Late/Tardy/Truancy/Cuts/Unverified Absences
According to state law, a student is considered truant who is "absent from school without a valid excuse more than three days in one school year or tardy or absent for more than any 30-minute period during the school day without a valid excuse on three occasions in one school year, or any combination thereof.” The formal procedure for addressing truancy problems includes SART meetings, referring students to the District Attorney’s office, and to the Student Attendance Review Board for further action.
