Only parents or legal guardians may call the Attendance Line. Please speak clearly, spell the last name of the student, and give the student’s ID number. For your convenience, please call the Attendance Line if:

1. A student must leave school early. Dial the attendance line, 480-706-7906, and press 1 to request an Off-Campus Pass for a student. Please state if the student is being picked up and by whom or if the student will be leaving campus by themselves. 
   THEY MUST SIGN OUT IN THE FRONT OFFICE PRIOR TO LEAVING CAMPUS TO BE EXCUSED! Calls must be received on the same day the student is leaving campus.
2. A student will arrive late to school. Dial the attendance number before 3:00 p.m. on the day of the absence. Press Option 2 for a freshman or sophomore & Option 3 for a junior or senior.
   
3. A student will be absent from school. Please call within 24 hours of the absences to excuse the absence (For example, if son or daughter is absent on a Wednesday, we need a call by 4:00 p.m. on Thursday). Press Option 2 for a freshman or sophomore & Option 3 for a junior or senior. 
4. You have a question or concern regarding attendance. Please press 0 for assistance. Notes regarding an absence are not accepted.

Excessive absences, (11 or more) excused or unexcused, may result in a loss of credit per class per semester.  Eleven absences in four or more classes may result in the student being withdrawn from school.

Desert Vista has implemented an automated calling system. If your child is marked absent in one or more classes, you will receive an automated phone call. If your child was absent, please call the appropriate attendance line option. If you think your child was marked absent in error, please have the student check with his/her teacher the following day.

Desert Vista is a closed campus. Students will not be released during their lunch hour unless picked up by parents or legal guardians. Please come in and sign the student out. Students are not to be picked up curbside.

Parents going out-of-town and leaving student(s) in the care of a designated adult must provide the attendance office with a notarized statement of the caretaker’s name and telephone numbers.

Absence - A student who arrives more than 20 minutes late is considered absent.

Excused absence - An absence is excused if a parent or guardian notifies the school. The reason for the absence must be given.

Off-Campus Pass - Generated by the front office staff allowing students to leave campus with parent/guardian permission.

School-related absence - If a student misses class due to a pre-approved school-related activity, it will not count as an absence.

Suspension - The days of suspension do not count as absences for the attendance policy.

Tardy - A student is tardy when s/he is not in class when the tardy bell rings.

Unexcused absence - Any absence that is not excused by a parent or guardian.

Absences

A student is allowed no more than 10 absences, excused or unexcused per class per semester. The 11th absence may result in loss of credit unless there are extenuating circumstances. The following are examples of extenuating circumstances: hospitalization, personal/health reasons, family issues, chronic health issues, college visits, runaways, drug rehabilitation, parents kept the child out, and parent issues. Contact the Dropout Prevention Coordinator with questions regarding extenuating circumstances. The 16th total absence, excused or unexcused, will result in a loss of credit for the class, with the exception being the student is on a chronic health plan.

Students will be disciplined as a result of unexcused absences. Consequences will include any of the following depending on the severity of student non-compliance: detention, off-campus suspension, and withdrawal from class. 

Seniors must be enrolled in four credit-bearing classes. All other students will need to be enrolled in six credit-bearing classes.

Makeup Work

It is the student’s responsibility to obtain makeup work from his/her teachers.

• Excused absence - Students will be allowed the number of days absent to make up assignments.
• Suspension - Students who are suspended from school will be allowed the number of days suspended to make up assignments. Work that was assigned prior to an absence will be due upon return to class.
• Unexcused absence - Students will be accountable for information missed.