District Information & Policies

Attendance

The Gilroy Unified School District is dedicated to academic achievement and success for all students. Regular school attendance is a critical part of that success. Our District is committed to increasing the attendance rate in all district schools. High attendance rates result in improved academic skills, as well as social and emotional growth for our students. The District will strive to be sure that students are in school on time, every day.

Did you know?

Starting in kindergarten, too many absences can cause children to fall behind in school.
Missing 10 percent (or about 18 days) can make it harder to learn to read.
Students can still fall behind if they miss just a day or two days every few weeks.
Being late to school may lead to poor attendance.
Absences can affect the whole classroom if the teacher has to slow down learning to help children catch up.

Attending school regularly helps children feel better about school—and themselves. Start building this habit
in preschool so they learn right away that going to school on time, every day is important. Good attendance
will help children do well in high school, college, and at work.

Students should miss no more than 9 days of school each year to stay engaged, successful and on track to graduation.
Absences can be a sign that a student is losing interest in school, struggling with school work, dealing with a bully or facing some other potentially serious difficulty.
By 6th grade, absenteeism is one of three signs that a student may drop out of high school.
By 9th grade, regular and high attendance is a better predictor of graduation rates than 8th grade test scores.
Missing 10 percent, or about 18 days, of the school year can drastically affect a student’s academic success.
Students can be chronically absent even if they only miss a day or two every few weeks.
Attendance is an important life skill that will help your child graduate from college and keep a job.

Tips for Attendance Success in Elementary School

Set a regular bed time and morning routine.
Lay out clothes and pack backpacks the night before.
Find out what day school starts and make sure your child has the required shots.
Introduce your child to her teachers and classmates before school starts to help her transition.
Don’t let your child stay home unless she is truly sick. Keep in mind complaints of a stomach ache or headache can be a sign of anxiety and not a reason to stay home.
If your child seems anxious about going to school, talk to teachers, school counselors, or other parents for advice on how to make her feel comfortable and excited about learning.
Develop back-up plans for getting to school if something comes up. Call on a family member, a neighbor, or another parent.
Avoid medical appointments and extended trips when school is in session.

Tips for Attendance Success in Middle and High School

Make school attendance a priority
Talk about the importance of showing up to school everyday, make that the expectation.
Help your child maintain daily routines, such as finishing homework and getting a good night’s sleep.
Try not to schedule dental and medical appointments during the school day.
Don’t let your child stay home unless truly sick. Complaints of headaches or stomach aches may be signs of anxiety. Help your teen stay engaged
Find out if your child feels engaged by his classes and feels safe from bullies and other threats. Make sure he/she is not missing class because of behavioral issues and school discipline policies. If any of these are problems, work with your school.
Stay on top of academic progress and seek help from teachers or tutors if necessary. Make sure teachers know how to contact you.
Stay on top of your child’s social contacts. Peer pressure can lead to skipping school, while students without many friends can feel isolated.
Encourage meaningful afterschool activities, including sports and clubs. Communicate with the school
Know the school’s attendance policy – incentives and penalties
Talk to teachers if you notice sudden changes in behavior. These could be tied to something going on at school.
Check on your child’s attendance to be sure absences are not piling up.
Ask for help from school officials, afterschool programs, other parents or community agencies if you’re having trouble getting your child to school.

GUSD provides a variety of supports to parents and families in order to ensure that students are attending school regularly and ready to learn. For more information, please contact the school site for school-based resources or contact:

Beranda Lopez Figueroa, Parent and Community Engagement Supervisor (408) 887-7020

Nolan Balaam, Gilroy High School, (408) 426-7038

Elizabeth Perez, South Valley Middle School, (669) 888-4249

GUSD Attendance Policies and Expectations

GUSD School Linked Services

Attendance Works (Resources for Families)

Truancy Laws

What to do when your child is sick (English)

Leyes de Ausentismo

What to do when your child is sick (Spanish)

Dress Code Policy

Dress and grooming

The Governing Board believes that appropriate dress and grooming contribute to a productive learning environment. The Board expects students to give proper attention to personal cleanliness and to wear clothes that are suitable for the school activities in which they participate. Students' clothing must not present a health or safety hazard or a distraction which would interfere with the educational process.

(cf. 4119.22/4219.22/4319.22 - Dress and Grooming)

(cf. 5145.2 - Freedom of Speech/Expression)

Students and parents/guardians shall be informed about dress and grooming standards at the beginning of the school year and whenever these standards are revised. A student who violates these standards shall be subject to appropriate disciplinary action.

(cf. 5144 - Discipline)

Gang-related apparel

The principal, staff and parents/guardians at a school may establish a reasonable dress code that prohibits students from wearing gang-related apparel when there is evidence of a gang presence that disrupts or threatens to disrupt the school's activities. Such a dress code may be included as part of the school safety plan and must be presented to the Board for approval. The Board shall approve the plan upon determining that it is necessary to protect the health and safety of the school's students.

(cf. 0450 - Comprehensive Safety Plan)

(cf. 5136 - Gangs)

Uniforms

In order to promote student safety and discourage theft, peer rivalry and/or gang activity, the principal, staff and parents/guardians at a school may establish a reasonable dress code requiring students to wear uniforms. Such a dress code may be included as part of the school safety plan and must be presented to the Board for approval. The Board shall approve the plan upon determining that it is necessary to protect the health and safety of the school's students.

If a school's plan to require uniforms is adopted, the Superintendent or designee shall establish procedures whereby parents/guardians may choose to have their children exempted from the school uniform policy. Students shall not be penalized academically, otherwise discriminated against or denied attendance to school if their parents/guardians so decide. (Education Code 35183)

The Superintendent or designee shall ensure that resources are identified to assist economically disadvantaged students in obtaining uniforms.

Legal Reference:

EDUCATION CODE

35183 School dress codes; uniforms
32281 School safety plans
48907 Student exercise of free expression
49066 Grades; effect of physical education class apparel

CODE OF REGULATIONS, TITLE 5

302 Pupils to be neat and clean on entering school

COURT DECISIONS

Hartzell v. Connell (1984) 35 Cal. 3d 899
Arcadia Unified School District v. California Department of Education, (1992) 2 Cal. 4th 251
Marvin H. Jeglin et al v. San Jacinto Unified School District et al 827 F.Supp. 1459 (C.D. Cal. 1993)

Food Delivery Policy

Homework Policy

The Governing Board recognizes that homework contributes toward building responsibility, self-discipline and life-long learning habits, and that time spent on homework directly influences students' ability to meet the district's academic standards. The Board expects students, parents/guardians and staff to view homework as a routine and important part of students' daily lives.

(cf.6011 - Academic Standards)

The Superintendent or designee shall ensure that administrators and teachers develop and implement an effective homework plan at each school site. As needed, teachers may receive training in designing relevant, challenging and meaningful homework assignments that reinforce classroom learning objectives. Teachers' expectations related to homework may be addressed in their evaluations.

(cf. 4115 - Evaluation/Supervision)

(cf. 4131 - Staff Development)

Although it is the student's responsibility to do most homework assignments independently, the Board expects teachers at all grade levels to use parents/guardians as a contributing resource. When students repeatedly fail to do their homework, parents/guardians shall be notified and asked to contact the teacher.

(cf. 5020 - Parent Rights and Responsibilities)

(cf. 6020 - Parent Involvement)

To further support students' homework efforts, the Superintendent or designee may establish and maintain telephone help lines and/or after-school centers where students can receive encouragement and clarification about homework assignments from teachers, volunteers and/or more advanced students who are performing community service. The Board encourages the Superintendent or designee to design class and transportation schedules that will enable students to make use of homework support services.

(cf. 1240 - Volunteer Assistance)

(cf. 1700 - Relations between Private Industry and the Schools)

(cf. 3541 - Transportation Routes and Services)

(cf. 5148 - Child Care and Development)

(cf. 6112 - School Day)

(cf. 6142.4 - Service Learning/Community Service Classes)

Makeup Work

Students who miss school work because of an excused absence shall be given the opportunity to complete all assignments and tests that can be reasonably provided. As determined by the teacher, the assignments and tests shall be reasonably equivalent to, but not necessarily identical to, the assignments and tests missed during the absence. Students shall receive full credit for work satisfactorily completed within a reasonable period of time. (Education Code 48205)

(cf. 5113 - Absences and Excuses)

Students who miss school work because of unexcused absences may be given the opportunity to make up missed work for full or reduced credit. Teachers shall assign such makeup work as necessary to ensure academic progress, not as a punitive measure.

Legal Reference:

EDUCATION CODE

48205 Absences for personal reasons
48913 Completion of work missed by suspended student
48980 Parental notifications
58700-58702 Tutoring and homework assistance program; summer school apportionment credit

Management Resources:

SBE POLICIES

Parent Involvement in the Education of Their Children, 1994
Policy Statement on Homework, 1995

Immigration Information

To Parents/Guardians: An Open Letter from Superintendent Flores

March 7, 2017

Dear Parents and Guardians:

Parents, students and school leaders have expressed concern for undocumented students in our school district since the presidential election and more recently when President Trump signed Executive Orders (Jan. 25, 2017). The purpose of this letter is to share some information with you about this topic.

All students, regardless of immigration status, have equal access to an education under the laws of the United States. The safety and well-being of our students remains one of the District’s top priorities. Our goal is to provide a positive school climate that supports learning and student success for all of our students.

Many school boards in California and the Nation are adopting resolutions about this issue. Our district, along with many other school districts in Santa Clara County, have adopted a resolution to affirm and express support for our students and our intention to abide by the laws set in place to protect them. To solidify our commitment to ensuring that our students receive a safe, productive and positive educational experience, the Gilroy Unified School District Board of Education recently passed Resolution #16/17-34. This resolution is attached. The resolution references laws that are already in place to protect our students’ rights.

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), prevents the District from sharing or distributing student information with anyone or agency including I.C.E. without their parent/guardian’s written permission or a court order. Additionally, the district does not maintain records related to student’s or family member’s citizenship or immigration status and thus, cannot provide this information to outside agencies. The district does not ask about a student’s immigration status for establishing residency in the district. The District cannot discriminate based on the basis of race, color or national origin.

We have provided a list of resources for families regarding the immigration issue. I encourage you or your student to reach out to school staff if there are specific concerns or questions you need addressed.

Lastly, please be assured that our students’ safety is our top priority. We will continue to provide an educational learning environment that encourages and facilitates their success at school and in the classroom.

Sincerely,

Deborah A. Flores

Superintendent

Resources

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services

Santa Clara County Office of Immigrant Relations

Community-based agencies that provide low-cost immigration legal services:

General legal help and immigration legal services in the Bay Area:

Wellness Policy

Working together to promote the health and wellness of students and staff in GUSD and to support implementation of the eight components of the District Wellness Policy:

Health education
Physical education
Nutrition services
Health services
Safe and healthy school climate
Parent and community involvement
Health promotion for staff
Psychological and counseling services

GUSD Wellness Policy

English
Spanish

Wellness Policy Letter

Healthy Foods Brochure

English
Spanish

Transferring students between high schools

1. Students who move to the attendance area of a school have the right to attend that school immediately (space permitting). Parents must provide proof they live in the school’s attendance area.

2. High School transfer requests must be requested by parents to the school administration. The school administration will determine if an immediate transfer or semester transfer is in order. Transfers may be denied.

3. If the transfer is granted, students must formally withdraw from their current school prior to starting at the new school.

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