Why Attendance is Important

At Ivy Academia, the curriculum is designed to prepare students to go on to advanced education, using the high quality and rigorous education found here, or prepare for a successful career, using the lessons of entrepreneurship and business that is a focus at Ivy.  It is not just the core curriculum and skills that are so valuable, it is the learning how to get along with others; studying the past, the present and the future; and learning how to analyze, think and learn that makes a formal education so necessary.

When students miss class and instruction, they can never really make up what they miss.  They can’t replicate the direct and professional instruction, the classroom discussions, the interaction with teachers and students, the group projects, the special presentations and the many other activities and instruction that make up a modern and strong educational program.

Students missing 10 days or more of school (excused absences) in a semester may have their grades lowered by one letter grade, or 10%; missing 15 days may lower the grade by two letter grades; missing 20 days gives the student an F and no credit.  This policy is based on the fact that the child is missing participation and other forms of instruction.  This lost instruction cannot be made up simply by completing homework, which is only part of the total instruction. It also creates more work for a busy teacher.  

10 days of absence in a semester is about 11%, and is equal to about 25 days a year.  Any business would not tolerate a worker who misses that many days of work.  At the very least, students/parents must apply for and complete an independent study contract in order to get some credit for these missed days.

Attendance Policy

Ivy Academia Will…

• Maintain accurate records.
• Start the class on time at the beginning of the day, after recess, and after lunch.
• Call home if student is absent more than 3 days in a row.
• Provide students with homework when they are absent.
• Provide Independent Study Contracts

The Parents/Guardians Will…

• Ensure that students come to school each day rested, clean, well fed, and appropriately dressed (in approved student uniform as per school dress code).
• Ensure that students are on time each day, and miss school only for emergencies or illness.
• Obtain an Independent Study Contract from your child’s homeroom teacher if you know your child will be absent for more than three days.
• Ensure the return of homework when he/she returns to class.
• Notify Ivy main office if there is a change of home address or phone number immediately, via email to ivy@ivyacademia.com or via telephone to (818) 348-8190.
• Notify school when child is absent and provide appropriate documentation. (After the third day, if  there is no legitimate reason for absence (e.g. Illness, death in the family, birth of sibling), your child’s enrollment will be terminated and to return to Ivy Academia the child must be re-enrolled. At that time, re-enrollment will depend on availability of space.)

When parents know their child will miss classes, they should make arrangements for an Independent Study Contract. These contracts may be obtained only in advance. Teachers will assign work, and that work must be turned in upon the student’s return to class. While such absences do not legally count against a student, parents should understand such school work cannot replicate the education within the classroom that the student is missing. Such absences, and the subsequent missing of important instruction, can affect students’ grades when tests are taken.

If a child has three (3) unexcused absences, the child may be dropped from the school.

Absences

Absence is defined as non-attendance in classes. Excused absences are as follows:

• Illness
• Medical/Dental/Court Appointments (only with verification)
• Funeral of Immediate Family Member

Some examples of unexcused absences are as follows:

• Lack of transportation
• Out of town for family trips, reunions, vacations, “family emergency,” illness/doctor or dental appointment of a family member.
• Suspension from class, or being sent out of class.

Teachers may give make-up work, but for excused absences only.

If a student must be absent for a short period of time for something other than the excused absences listed above, a formal written request must be submitted by the parents or guardians at least five (5) working days in advance to the principal.

Clearing Absences

To excuse an absence of an Ivy Academia student:

• Notify your child’s school site front office by telephone before 8:00am on the day of a student’s absence.
• Provide a written note (in ink) with the student’s name, the date and reason for the absence, and the signature of a parent or guardian.

Please note that, in order for the absence to be cleared, it must fall within the Excused Absence guidelines listed above (Absences section).

Tardies

Tardiness is defined as arriving in a section or a class period after the class has begun. If a student arrives more than five minutes late to class, the student must report to the attendance office.

Note that five tardies in a single class equals an absence.

Truancy

Truancy is defined as absence from school where a student:

• Leaves school before the end of the day without permission from the administrator.
• Fails to attend classes, section, or assemblies.

A student who is truant is subject to Saturday school (equal the hours missed), suspension, probation, restriction or expulsion..

Note that Ivy Academia School does not condone any truancy including any “ditch day” activities.  This activity is considered an unexcused absence.

Student Attendance Review Board (SARB)

Habitually truant students, or students with excessive absences, may be referred to the Los Angeles County School Attendance Review Board (SARB).  A hearing officer or juvenile court judge has the power to order students and parents to obey the state’s attendance laws.

Independent Study

When parents know their child will miss classes, they should make arrangements with the child’s homeroom teacher at least a week prior to departure for an Independent Study Contract.  These contracts may be obtained only in class.  Teachers will assign work, and that work must be turned in upon the student’s return to class.  While such absences do not legally count against a student, parents should understand such school work cannot replicate the education within the classroom that the student is missing.  Such absences, and the subsequent missing of important information, can affect students’ grades when tests are taken.

Attendance Eligibility

Any student who is unable to be present for a full day of classes is not permitted to attend an athletic or school function, represent Ivy at another school, or participate in any athletic or school-scheduled event that takes place in the afternoon or evening of the same day.  Exceptions to this are absences due to:

• School-sponsored outings (e.g. field trip, retreat).
• Funeral of an immediate family member.
• Doctor/dentist appointment (prior written notice required).
• Special absence with prior approval of the principal.
• Extenuating circumstances with the approval of the principal.

In the case of a Saturday or Sunday game or school event, students must fulfill Friday’s requirement in order to participate.

Tardies will not make a student ineligible on the day of the activity; however, if a student develops a pattern of tardies, he/she will not be allowed to participate in the scheduled activity.

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