Westlake Attendance
Office Hours
Monday – Friday : 7:00-3:00pm
To excuse absences, call or send an email within ten days of the absence.
Westlake Attendance
The State Board of Education released an absenteeism letter in September 2016. It is extremely important to have your student(s) attend school everyday. Alpine School District views and understands the importance of good attendance–you can read about that here. Research shows that attentively attending class has a direct, positive impact on student learning and achievement. We are dedicated to building a positive culture and promoting the importance of school attendance. Creating a school culture that fosters high levels of student achievement is the product of a strong partnership between students, parents and the school. As we work together and establish an environment in which attendance matters, students will be successful in every effort—as they consistently attend each and every class. In an effort to help track your students’ attendance, sign up in Skyward to receive email notifications. Make sure you are aware of the attendance policy at Westlake High School.
Skyward Parent Excusal Procedures
Parents can excuse student absences online via Skyward. Please note this is NOT for tardies, truancies, or check-outs–only absences. You can only parent excuse absences within the ten school day excusal. Attached are step by step directions as well as a link to an online tutorial.
Checking Out Students
Westlake policy requires a legal guardian or a person authorized by the guardian show a photo ID to check a student out of school. In order to check out over the phone, a password needs to be set up on the account. Only the parent/guardian may check out over the phone. All others will need to visit the office with a photo ID. A password has to be set up at the attendance office by the parent/guardian with a photo ID. Please don’t share these passwords with your student or anyone other than the parents/guardians listed on Skyward. In the event that a student discovers and uses a password to try and check themselves or other students out, we may need to revisit the check-out process for your family. Students may not check out themselves, even if they are 18.
Also, please take into account that it takes a bit of time to get a student released from class. Checking a student out in the 5-10 minutes of class is often disruptive and is not always possible. Please plan accordingly.
Excused/Unexcused
Attendance
Parents may excuse a student’s absence by emailing the attendance office, calling the attendance office, or online through Skyward. Absences should be excused within 10 school days. All absences that are not excused are listed as unexcused absences. A tardy is defined as when a student is late to class within the first 20 minutes of class time. After a student is 20 minutes late, the student is marked absent. Tardies can only be excused the same day they occured.
A truancy is a confirmed absence from school or class without prior parent approval and is determined by the school’s administration. Confirmed truancies cannot be excused by a parent. Additionally, students who leave class early without being properly checked-out by a parent or guardian will be considered truant. Students who misuse hall passes or are found without a hall pass during class time may be given a truancy.
Stay to Play
Westlake has an attendance and grade eligibility program for athletics and activities called “Stay to Play”. Students will be on probation to participate in any extracurricular activities or athletics if they have one or more failing grades (F’s), one or more truancies, two or more unexcused absences, and/or eight or more total tardies. Extracurricular activities and athletics include field trips, games, matches, club activities, out of state tours, etc. Students can regain ineligibility by working with their teacher(s) regarding failing grades. They can make up truancies, absences and/or tardies through attendance school (see below). Attendance and grades reset each term.
Attendance School
Attendance school is held every Monday and Thursday from 6:30-7:30am in room C140, and every Wednesday from 1:30-2:30pm in the Lecture Hall (except for the second Wednesday of each month–it is held in room C131). Students must be on time to attendance school to get credit. They should bring their class work to complete while there. Cell phones are not allowed to be used while in attendance school.
- One hour = One truancy or unexcused absence
- 15 minutes = One tardy