Incoming Parent Information
When you’re new to a school, you have all sorts of questions, and we hope to answer some of them here:
Follow this link for info about “Binder Reminders”, “Student Agendas”, lockers, locks, drop-off and pick-up advice, daily schedules, and more.
6th Grade Parent Orientation
SPMS Attendance Policy
(updated summer 2019)
LEAVING CAMPUS DURING SCHOOL HOURS
Parents can send a note with a student to school in the morning. The note can be turned in to the office before school begins and should include the date, time, and purpose for leaving campus. The office staff will complete a GROUNDS PERMIT form and provide a copy to the student. When it is time for the student to leave campus, the Grounds Permit will serve as a pass so that the student can be dismissed from class and meet their parent in the office. If a note is not provided, please allow extra time for the student to be called out of class. Students will not be called out of class until a parent is in the office.
INDEPENDENT STUDY
Parents may request an Independent Study Contract from the Attendance Clerk in the office. A notice of 10 school days prior to the student’s departure is required. In order to earn completion of independent study teachers must review the work assigned. Only students who will be absent from school a minimum of five (maximum 10) consecutive school days may qualify for Independent study. This is an option for students to remain on track with their schoolwork and for the school to receive its ADA funding.
ABSENCES
All absences must be verified by a parent or the absence will be coded as truancy.
ABSENCE VERIFICATION
Parents can excuse a student’s absence by writing a note or an email to pluna@spusd.net (attendance clerk). Absence verification must be done within 3 school days of the absence (per district policy). Please include a student’s full name, date(s) of absence, and reason for the absence. A daily attendance message is sent home to all parents via voicemail and email to notify parents of any absence. The attendance message is sent as a reminder to all parents. Please note that the attendance email and voicemail will be sent home to all parents, including those who have already notified the attendance clerk by email. It may take up to 2 school days to verify and change absence codes.
EXCUSED ABSENCES
Excused absences include illness (I), medical (X), dental (X), or religious reasons (X) per Education Code 46010.
UNEXCUSED ABSENCES
School absences because of the following reasons: personal (P), out of town (U), family vacation (U), oversleeping (U), or car trouble (U), are not considered by the State of California as valid reasons for being absent from school.
MISSING ASSIGNMENTS DUE TO ABSENCES
It is the responsibility of the student to email teachers, check teacher websites, and follow up with teachers on any missing assignments after any absence(s) in a timely manner. Students will adhere to teacher make-up work policies.
LATE/TARDY/TRUANT
A student is late to class if they arrive within 30 minutes of the start of class. A student is tardy if they arrive more than 30 minutes late to class. Truancies are when a student is absent without the consent of the parent (Ex. This includes skipping or cutting classes). This category of attendance will result in consequences from the school administration.
ATTENDANCE CODES
Parents and students can monitor and track attendance online (my.spusd.net). The following codes will appear under a student’s attendance record if the student was absent due to any of the listed reasons below.
|
CODE |
DESCRIPTION |
EXCUSED/ UNEXCUSED |
|
A |
Unverified Absence |
Will result in a truancy if not excused within 3 days |
|
C |
Independent Study Completed |
Different program, not considered an absence |
|
I |
Illness |
Excused |
|
L |
Late: less than 30 mins late to class |
Unexcused |
|
O |
Independent Study Incomplete |
Unexcused |
|
P |
Personal |
Unexcused |
|
S |
Suspension |
Unexcused |
|
T |
Tardy: more than 30 min late to class |
Unexcused |
|
U |
Out of town, Family Vacation, etc. |
Unexcused |
|
V |
School Activity |
Present and participating in a school activity |
|
X |
Medical, Dental, Religious, Personal Counseling |
Excused |
|
Z |
Truant (absent to a class without parent consent) |
Unexcused |
LATE/TARDY/TRUANT POLICY
Students are expected to be on-time and prepared for every class. Students arriving after 8:00 am must check into the office to receive an ADMIT SLIP BEFORE going to class. Each quarter a student begins with zero late, tardy, truancy marks. Students who reach step 3 in two or more quarters will be referred for a SART meeting. Parents are notified after each of the steps listed below.
|
LATE/TARDY/TRUANT POLICY (PER QUARTER) |
|
|
Step 1: 5TH |
2 lunch detentions, discussion with student |
Step 2: 10TH |
2 Afterschool detentions, student discussion, parent notification |
Step 3: 15th |
Saturday School, student discussion, parent contact by phone or meeting |
|
Step 4: 20th or more |
Attendance Probation: Student Attendance Review Team (SART) meeting with student, parents, counselor, attendance clerk, and assistant principal. Consequences include further detentions, student is ineligible to participate in extracurricular activities for one quarter, and possible SARBmeeting if contract is violated |
CHRONIC ABSENCE POLICY
The state of California has a compulsory education law which states that students are required to attend school punctually and regularly. When a student misses 10% of the school year (18 days), regardless of whether the absences are excused or unexcused, he/she is considered “Chronically Absent”(Ed Code: 60901 (c) (1)). Absences can add up quickly; a child is chronically absent if he or she misses just two days every month. The goal of the below criteria is to communicate with students and parents, identify the cause of absences and improve student attendance. Our district goal is that all students have an attendance rate that is 95% or higher.
|
CHRONIC ABSENCES (PER YEAR) |
|
|
Step 1: ABSENT 6-9% OF DAYS |
Warning notification sent to parents; meeting with student. |
Step 2: ABSENT 10% OR MORE OF DAYS |
Parent meeting; agreed goals and limits set. |
|
Step 3: Continued Chronic Absentism |
Parent meeting; SART meeting; set agreed goals and limits. |
DOCUMENTARY SERIES
Each month last year, SPMS PTA offered a free screening of a documentary to inform, inspire, and ignite conversation, which we will do again this year. We followed-up each film with an open Q&A with experienced, knowledgeable professionals from our community.
2019-2020 Schedule:
- September 11 — “Like”
- October 9 — The Bully Project
- December 12 — TBA
- February 12 — Screenagers 2
- April 22 — TBA
2018-2019 Screenings were:
The Mask You Live In Wednesday, May 29 — addresses how we as a nation raise our boys and the impact that has.
“Miss Representation” Wednesday, April 17. Q&A discussion afterward was led by Dr. Caroline Heldman (featured in the film, author, professor at Occidental, leader in women’s rights) and Dr. Deborah Peters (child therapist, Christine Blasey Ford’s sisters-in-law).
“Race to Nowhere” — Friday, March 22, 2019 This documentary offers great insight to success, stress, and education with our children.
More Than Sad – part of AFSP, a national suicide prevention program. Q&A with Natasha Prime, MSW, SPUSD’s School Social Worker and Child Welfare Counselor. The film was also shown to all students 7th grade and above in SPUSD.
Information can be found HERE on the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention website.
MAY I BE HAPPY, Friday, January 25, 2019 with SPEF support, to help students, staff, parents, and caregivers become more mindful and centered. Information HERE. Q&A afterward with Dr. Trujillo and Christine Chin.
HE NAMED ME MALALA — December 9, 2018. Q&A with Dr. Deborah Peters and SPHS TEDx Co-President, Sydney Davis Denny.
ANGST— October 17 (SPMS) and 29 (SPHS), 2018. Q&A with Natasha Prime, MSW School Social Worker, Child Welfare Counselor; Heather Bland, MFT; and Tina Bradley Trujillo, PhD. 99 Coping Skills Poster –this poster came to us as something that could be useful in times of stress.
Screenagers, Growing up in the Digital Age, September 14, 2018. D.U.D.E.S. provided this special screening that examines how constant technological immersion, otherwise know as “screen time,” affects both the pyschological and emotional development of teens. Viewing the struggle on how much, what kind, and what limits to set on technology use from the point of view of children, parents, and professionals.
To further your conversation about screen time, check out the Parent Guide:
Middle School Athletic Boosters
Musical Boosters
SPMS Musical Boosters formed this year to aid the many facets of our middle school music programs — choir, band, orchestra, marching band. Please join and support them!
Stay up to date on current SPMS happening activities, clubs and programs through “REMIND” APP:
* Via text: sign up by texting @spms16-17 to 81010
* To get push notifications, open your web browser and go to the following link: rmd.at/spms16-17
Follow instructions to signup for REMIND. You’ll be prompted to download the app.
SPMS Math Placement Protocol link:
DUAL IMMERSION INFO:
Please see the attached SPUSD Snapshot which provides a link to the new Dual Immersion Program Fact Sheet.
SPUSD Snapshot Dual Language Immersion Fact Sheet.pdf
Helpful Information From Past Parent Forums:
PTA Forum on Teens & Stress with presenter Linda Esposito
Resources:
PTA Forum on Common Core Standards
Parent Forum
Is Your Child At Risk for Drugs? What’s a Parent to Do?
Bullying
For support and help with what to do in a situation where bullying is or might occur, go to Stop Bullying. If you need to report a situation at SPMS, the SPMS website provides an on-line way to report it. Click HERE.
