Attendance

To report an absence or late arrival, please call the attendance hotline.  This line is available for your convenience 24 hours a day.

You will need the following information:

1. Child's Name
2. Teacher / Grade Level
3. Contact Number
4. Date of the absence (or late arrival)
5. Reason for the absence (or late arrival)
6. Name of the person who is calling to report the absence (or late arrival).
7. Caller's relationship to the child (mother, father, guardian, etc.)
8. When your child will return to school

Please contact the attendance clerk to report a change of address or phone number. You will need the following information:

• Child's name
• Your name and relationship to student
• Any brothers or sisters names
• Child's Grade Level
• Old Address (or phone number)
• New Address (or phone number)
• You may be asked for verification of the new address with proof of residency (examples: lease, mortgage, any utility bill that proves residency at the new address).

Picking Up a Scholar Early
When picking up a scholar early please have your ID available.

To Request to pick-up your scholar early call: (520) 614-8840 Ext. 8405 (Requests must go through Attendance).  Please don’t leave a message to pick-up scholar early on the Absence Reporting Message Line. 

Please call early, preferably 2 periods prior, (see bell schedule) to allow time for a pass to be written and sent for your scholar.  If the time you plan to pick-up your scholar is near a passing period (approx. 5 mins), your scholar can check-in to the Attendance Office at that time, to have your scholar waiting for your arrival.

Short notice pick-up please come into the Attendance Office for assistance.

If leaving a message please include the following information:

• Your name and your relationship to scholar
• Scholars' First and Last name (spell name to ensure we have heard it correctly)
• Scholars' grade level
• Reason for leaving early (for attendance purposes)
• Dates and Time you want your scholar  to be released early (if you know in advance you are welcome to call the day prior and leave the message)
• Identify who will be picking up your scholar or does your scholar drive (11th & 12th grade only).  Please have ID available when picking up early.
• Best number to reach you at if we have any questions

Note: The busiest times of the day in the attendance office, makes it difficult to answer calls and check messages. (first 30 minutes of the school day, during scholar lunches, start of 5th & 6th period and the last 30 minutes of the school day)

Attendance Policy

MUSD sets a high standard of excellence in education.  This high standard includes the expectation that all students will attend classes promptly and on a regular basis to achieve the full educational benefit.  Absences should only occur when unavoidable.  School attendance is ultimately the responsibility of the student and his/her parents.  Students with good attendance records generally achieve higher grades.  Attendance is compulsory for students who have not reached age sixteen or completed the 10th grade. 

(Absences are for individual classes during a semester) -Attendance calls are made daily for any unexcused absence. If a student is incorrectly marked absent, the student should contact their teacher the next school day and have the absence corrected. Attendance information is available 24 hours a day in Synergy, ParentVue, and StudentVue accounts. Families may also email the school secretary. 

• Excused Absence: An absence caused by illness, death in the family, medical or dental appointment, religious holiday or court appearance are examples of excused absences.  Written documentation of any of these events should be provided to the attendance office. A parent/ guardian must call within 24 hours and state the reason for the absence. Absences become unexcused if there has been no contact by 3:00 pm 24 hours following the absence.  Absences that are foreseeable and pre-approved by an administrator may also be excused. For excused absences, students are allowed to make up the work missed. All excused absences count towards the 9 absences allowed in each class per semester.  

• Unexcused Absence (Truancy): An absence that is unnecessary and avoidable is considered unexcused. This type of absence includes but is not limited to absences not verified by a parent/guardian within 48 hours, over sleeping, traffic, car problems, missing the bus, ditching, leaving campus without following proper procedures, and going to work. On days of special schedules, work conflicts will not be accepted as excused absences. All unexcused absences count toward the 9 absences allowed in each class per semester. 

• Pre-Arranged Absences: MVA allows students and parents to make arrangements with the attendance office for pre-approved absences due to an unavoidable family vacation, wedding, university educational visits, or other. These absences may be excused at the discretion of the administration, allowing the student to make up work, and will count toward the 9 absences allowed in each class per semester. See the attendance office for the required paperwork. 

• School Sponsored: Absences supervised by the school such as a field trip, athletic event, or other necessary activity do not count toward the 9 absences allowed each semester. 

• In-School Suspension (ISS): Students who are suspended on campus have full access to their Google Classrooms for learning and work. Students will be allowed to take tests and turn in any assigned work that they have missed. In-School Suspension does not count toward the 9 absences allowed each semester. If removed from ISS, students can be subject to out-of-school suspension.

• Saturday School (SS):  Saturday School is an additional alternative detention similar to ISS that may be used to improve attendance and/or modify student behavior during the disciplinary process. Saturday School will be twice a month from 8:00 am - 10:00 am.  Students are expected to be on time for Saturday School. Disruption or no-show to Saturday School may lead to further disciplinary consequences. 

• Out-of-School Suspension (OSS): Students who are suspended have full access to their Google classrooms for learning and work completion. Students are allowed to turn in work during the out-of-school suspension and makeup tests when they return to class. Getting the missed work is the responsibility of the student. Students suspended for longer than 3 days may request required work from individual teachers or the Secretary for Student Services. These absences do not count toward the 9 absences allowed each semester. 

Attendance: Expectations, Excessive Absences, Loss of Credit, and Appeals

Arizona School Attendance Law
Arizona law requires that a parent or legal guardian must ensure that their minor child between the age of six (6) and sixteen (16) is in school for the full time school is in session, unless otherwise legally excused, pursuant to ARS 15-802 or 15-803. Absences may be considered excessive when the number of absent days exceeds ten percent of the number of required attendance days pursuant to ARS 15-803, prescribed in section 15-802, subsection B, paragraph 1. 

Attendance Expectation: Students must be in attendance at least ninety percent (90%) of all class sessions. Students are allowed nine (9) absences per class per semester (excused or unexcused) prior to losing credit for that class.  

Student Rights: Students have the right to: 

1. know how school policy defines and handles absences and tardies 
2. make up work missed during an excused absence 
3. appeal loss of credit each semester 

 Student Responsibilities: Students have the responsibility to: 

1. attend classes and be on time 
2. ask parents/guardians to notify the school when absent 
3. ask teachers for required assignments 

 Excessive Absence Concern: 

• Letter of Concern: - After six (6) absences in a period, excused or unexcused, a Letter of Concern will be emailed to the student and parents/guardians. This is an informational notice only and no action is required by the student or family. 
• Loss of Credit Notice - After ten (10 ) absences in any class, a student will be placed in a Loss of Credit status for that class. A Loss of Credit Notice with an Appeal Form link will be emailed to the student and parent/guardians. The student must complete the appeal form within 10 days of receipt and continue to attend the class while the appeal is being reviewed. Purposeful non-attendance or ditching may result in a permanent loss of credit or disciplinary action.
• Appeal Procedure: An initial action to withhold credit is subject to appeal. A written request for an appeal must be filed with the Attendance Office no later than ten(10) school days after credit is lost. If an initial appeal is successful, a student may not appeal to the same class again. Continued absences after a successful appeal may result in permanent loss of credit for the grading period.

1. The student will submit the appeal by the identified date.  In the appeal, the student will explain the reason for the past absences and where possible, provide any supporting documentation. The student will also describe their plan for improved attendance and provide a rationale for why credit should be restored. If the student needs any type of school support to increase attendance, the student should include this information in their appeal. 
2. The leadership team at MVA will review all documents. After the initial review a decision will be made to restore the student to a credit earning position or have the student present his/her case to the School Attendance Committee. If the appeal is granted the student may not miss any additional classes in the identified period(s) without appropriate documentation. 
3. Additional absences after a successful appeal may result in an attendance hearing to determine permanent loss of credit for the grading period. If MVA leadership deems it necessary, a hearing will be scheduled with the School Attendance Committee. The student and/or parent(s) will be heard by the committee of staff members prior to a final decision about loss of credit in the class(es). 
4. If the student and/or parent(s) is not satisfied with the decision of the School Attendance Committee, they may appeal to the principal. The principal must receive this appeal within five (5) school days after the School Attendance Committee hearing. An appointment will be scheduled with the principal no later than five school days after the principal receives the appeal. The decision of the principal is final.