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Please let your school office know as soon as you can if your student must miss class.  

Gravenstein Elementary
GRAVAbsences@GUSDschools.org or (707) 823-5361

Hillcrest Middle
HMSAbsences@GUSDschools.org or (707) 823-7653

Planned absences

It is very important that your student be at school every day that instruction is provided.  This not only helps your student stay on track academically, but helps us maximize the funding we receive from the state of California.  There are multiple breaks in the calendar for you to plan family trips and vacations.  If an emergency arises and your student is going to miss instructional time, please notify your classroom teacher or the front office as soon as possible.  We can provide an Independent Study Agreement for an absence of 1-15 days.  State law limits a student's total days of Independent Study to 15 for the school year.  Please contact your child’s school office for more information.  

School Attendance Influences Student Success

Every day of school matters, as each absence means a missed chance to learn and grow. When your child attends school regularly, it not only enhances their academic and social development but also contributes to the resources and support available to our school community. Your cooperation and involvement make a positive impact on your child's education, and we truly appreciate your commitment to their success.

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Effects of Chronic Absences

Students with good attendance can make academic gains and is an essential strategy for reducing achievement gaps.  Chronic absences throughout a student’s academic career have shown:

  • Poor attendance in the first month of school can predict chronic absences for the entire year
  • Absenteeism in Kindergarten can affect whether a child develops the grit and perseverance needed to succeed in school
  • Absenteeism in preschool and kindergarten can influence whether a child will be held back in third grade
  • As early as grade 6, absenteeism in middle and high school can predict dropout rates
  • Absenteeism influences, not just chances for graduating but also for completing college – only 11 percent of the chronically absent students who graduated from high school made it to the second year of college, compared to 51 percent of students with better high school attendance records*
  • A lack of certain social skills, including a child’s ability to pay attention, work independently, adapt to change and persist in tasks may be a result of chronic absenteeism
  • To slow down instruction for the entire class as the teacher spends time catching up the student that was absent.

National testing data* shows that students who miss more school than their peers consistently score lower on standardized tests, a result that holds true at every age, in every demographic group, and in every state and city tested.
*(Source: attendanceworks.org)