Consitent attendance plays a vital role in a student’s academic success and helps build lifelong habits of responsibility and self-discipline. The Simi Valley Unified School District maintains a clear attendance policy that highlights the importance of partnership between the school district and families in supporting regular school attendance for every student.

What is an Excused Absence?

• Illness
• Medical / Dental appointments
• Court Appearance (verification required)
• Quarantine or Immunization
• Death In the Immediate Family
• Entertainment Industry (verification required)
• Personal business with verified parent explanation and under the following circumstances:
• Appearance at School Attendance Review Board (SARB) meeting.
• Attendance at events sponsored by the school, or organization/groups approved in advance by the Principal or Principal's designee. 
• Observance of a religious holiday or ceremony, or religious retreat (retreat not to exceed four hours per semester).
• Caring for an ill child when the student is the custodial parent.
• Other exceptional circumstances approved by the Principal or Principal's designee.

CLEARING ABSENCES

To clear a student's absence, parents/guardians may:

• Send a signed note with the student.
• Call the Attendance Office during school hours or leave a voicemail

• Email the Attendance Office staff

When reporting an absence by note, email, or voicemail, please be sure to include the following information:

• Student’s full name

• Parent/guardian’s name and relationship to the student

• Date(s) of the absence and the reason for the absence

• Parent/guardian’s signature (for written notes) and a contact phone number for verification

ATTENDANCE POLICY

Parents/Guardians have five school days from the first day of absence to clear their absences with the Attendance Office. After five days, all uncleared absences will be recorded as truancies.

After the 12th absence in a school year —whether excused or unexcused— a doctor's note must be presented to the Attendance Office to clear any additional absences. Excessive absences or chronic absenteeism may result in a referral to the Student Attendance Review Board (SARB) for further review and intervention.