ADMINISTRATION

• Due to his or her illness.
• Due to quarantine under the direction of a county or city health officer.
• For the purpose of having medical, dental, optometrical, or chiropractic services rendered.
• For the purpose of attending the funeral services of a member of his or her immediate family so long as the absence is not more that one day if the services is conducted in California and not more than three days if the service is conducted outside California.
• For the purpose of jury duty in the manner provided for by law.
• Due to the illness of medical appointment during school hours of a child of whom the pupil is the custodial parent.
• For justifiable personal reasons, including, but not limited to, an appearance in court, attendance at religious retreats, or attendance at an employment conference, when the pupil's absence has been requested in writing by the parent or guardian and approved by the principal or a designated representative pursuant to uniform standards established by the governing board.
• For the purpose of serving as a member of a precinct board for an election pursuant to Section 12302 of the Elections Code.

A pupil absent from school under this section shall be allowed to complete all assignments and tests missed during the absence that can be reasonably provided and, upon satisfactory completion within a reasonable period of time shall be given full credit therefore.  As the teacher of any class from which a pupil is absent shall determine the tests and assignments shall be reasonably equivalent to, but not necessarily identical to, the test and assignments that the pupil missed during the absence.

• Parent Excuse - An absence with parental permission but not under the "excused absence" section.  Absences to visit relatives or to attend a marriage or vacation are considered unexcused absences.  The student may be allowed to make up missed assignments.
• Religious Holidays - Board of Education Policy 5111.4 states that a student shall be excused from school for observance of a holiday or ceremony of his/her religion.  A pupil absent from school shall be allowed to complete all assignments and tests missed during the absence.
• Truancy - An absence from class or classes without the parent's or school's knowledge or permission.  A student will receive an "F" for each class missed and will not be allowed to make up the work.  Students who exhibit a continual problem with attendance will be referred to the Student Attendance Review Board (SARB).
• Suspension - The temporary removal of a student from school, one to five days in length.  School work may be made up.
• Emergency Disaster - An emergency due to fire, flood, or major disaster, students will be allowed to make up the work.

Each day a student is absent, the parent or guardian will receive a recorded message from the districts computer dialing system.  If our student will be out of school for an extended period of time, please contact the Attendance Office.

All students returning from an absence must report to the main office for AM readmits  M,T, Th, F  from 7-7:45 and all other times to the House offices. Students are to conduct business before school begins to avoid being tardy. The student must have proper ID and a signed note containing the following information:
1. Reason for the absence
2. Student Name and I.D. #
3. Date of absence; period(s) absent if less than an entire day
4. Signature of parent/guardian.
5. Phone number where parent can be reached for verification

A student who has no note will be issued a readmit indicating truancy. The student must clear the truancy by bringing a note the next day.

Parents are to write a note in advance of the student's early departure from school.  The note should contain the following information:

1. Date and time student is leaving school.
2. Student Name and I.D. #
3. Reason for leaving early.
4. Signature of a parent/guardian.
5. Phone number of Parent/Guardian for verification of note.

Students are to leave the note in the Attendance Office between 7:15 a.m. and 8:15 a.m.  The note will be verified and the pass will be ready at the time of the student's departure.  If the Attendance Office is unable to verify the note, the student will not be released. If you know that you cannot be reached, call the school and speak to Mary Slawter (x309) or Dina Mendoza (x311) in the Attendance Office to verify the note.

Students are required to remain on campus.
• All students should remain in class unless released by proper school procedure.
• Students are required to remain on campus except for lunch and only if they have parent permission to leave. No ninth graders may leave campus at lunch.
• Students must remain on campus during passing periods, automobiles are not to be used as lockers, access to the north lot is restricted.

Students who can leave campus.
• Only students whose parents come into the House office and sign a release form and get a sticker may leave at lunch.
• A lunch sticker will be place on the ID card by the house assistant or administrator.
• No ninth grader will be allowed to leave campus at lunch.
• Students who return from lunch late will be issued a detention and have their lunch pass revoked for two weeks. If the tardies become a chronic problem, the student will lose the pass for the year.
• Students must show their ID cards with proper stickers to get off campus. No card, no exit.

• Students may leave campus if they have a minimum schedule and have the appropriate sticker on their cards.  A whole sticker indicates they have no afternoon classes and may leave at the beginning of lunch if they have a lunch pass.  A half sticker means that they do not have period six and may leave at the end of period 5.
• Instructors who take students off campus during school as part of their class assignment can get stickers placed on their students' cards.  Each student must bring the correct school form back signed by the parent.  The teacher will collect the forms and bring them to the attendance office where they will be placed on file.  Stickers will then be placed on cards allowing students off campus at 7th and Michigan.  Students may be allowed to drive but only with parent permission.  No student may drive another student or students.

IF THE STUDENT IS AN EIGHTH GRADE STUDENT FROM ONE OF THE LOCAL MIDDLE SCHOOL, the counselors will be visiting each feeder school in the spring to work with each student as to their scheduling needs for both the summer and fall semesters.

IF THE STUDENT IS ENROLLING IN SAMOHI, the student and parent/guardian must bring the student's birth certificate and roof of current immunizations, including a tuberculosis skin test, proof of residence and transcripts from current work in progress.  Upon determination that a student is eligible at Santa Monica High School, a registration packet will be issued to the student and parent. All forms in the packet must be completed and returned to the Attendance Office to begin the registration process.  Parents should allow a minimum of one hour for the enrollment process.

STUDENTS WISHING TO ENROLL AT SAMOHI BUT LIVES OUTSIDE THE CITY OF SANTA MONICA should contact the Dina Mendoza in the Enrollment Office at Santa Monica High School 310-395-3204 extension 311 for availability and instructions.

INTRADISTRICT CHOICE - Students who live in Santa Monica or Malibu and wish to transfer to a school within the district but outside their attendance boundaries may apply by completing an Open Enrollment Application. Placement at another school is based on space availability, the district's racial/ethnic guidelines and a random selection process.