ATTENDANCE LINE - 480-484-5800, option 1

Parents/Guardians – If your student is going to be tardy or absent, you must call and leave a message on the attendance line. Ideally, this message should be provided before the beginning of the school day. Please include your name and relation to student, student’s first and last name, student ID number, date and reason for absence.  

When a parent wishes to have a student excused before the close of the school day, the attendance office must be informed prior to the student’s departure and an administrator or their designee must provide permission. The parent must sign-out at the front desk with the exact time in order for the leave to be excused.

FAQ

• What is a Tardy? Arriving to class after the start of the class period (indicated by the school bell) and missing up to ten minutes of class time.
• What is an Absence? Not being present in class (either all day or a single period). If a student is ten minutes (or more) late to class, leaves class early, or leaves class without permission, this is also an absence.
• What is an “excused” absence? The Code of Conduct on page 46 states the definition of “excused absence” according to state law (ARS 15-901) and the Arizona Department of Education. Acceptable reasons are illness, doctor or legal appointment, bereavement, family emergency, family vacation, school-sponsored events, and out-of-school suspension. All others are to be unexcused. Furthermore, absences must be called in by a parent and include one of the above reasons in order to be excused. Fear of illness is not listed as an excusable absence.
• State law also contains guidelines related to excessive absences (whether excused or unexcused).
  • For high school, students missing at least 10% of a class (more than 9 days in one semester) are at risk of losing credit for that class, even if the student has a passing grade. In SUSD, we have a committee of teachers at each high school that meets each semester to review documentation and attendance patterns, who then make a final decision regarding each student who is on a loss of credit contract.
• Students who have 10 consecutive days of unexcused absences at any time will be withdrawn from school.
  • Please speak with the Principal if you need a chronic ill form to continue enrollment.