School hours are from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. each day.  Students shall not arrive earlier than 7:45 a.m. or remain on the school campus later than 3:00 p.m. unless they are participating in a supervised activity.  SCHOOL DOORS WILL NOT OPEN UNTIL 7:45 A.M. EACH SCHOOL DAY.  Supervision will not be provided for students who arrive before 7:45 a.m. or remain later than 3:00 p.m.  These procedures are designed for the safety and well-being of your children.

Regular attendance and being on time is critical to the learning process and also helps students develop a good attitude toward school.  When your child is sick and it is necessary for him/her to miss school, it is very important to notify the school as soon as possible either by a phone call or a note.  Please attempt to schedule doctor, dentist, and other appointments for students at times outside the school day. 

If your child has any of the following symptoms, your child should be kept home from school:

Fever, diarrhea, severe headache, harsh cough, vomiting, persistent pain, chills, earache, severe stomachache, skin rash, skin infections, sore throat, crusty eyelids, head lice.

If your child is ill more than three (3) consecutive days, a medical note must be provided.  Please be advised, students must be in attendance by 9:30 a.m. to be counted as present for school that day.  Students that arrive between 9:30–11:00 a.m. will be counted present for a half-day only.

All absences for doctors’ appointments and court appearances will be excused ONLY if the student presents a written doctor’s excuse from the appointment agency upon returning to school.

Examples of unexcused absences are as follows:  Shopping, babysitting, not having clean clothing, and not making an effort to come to school after missing the bus.

Tardiness

If a student is late for school (after 8:30 a.m.), he/she must report to the school office before going to the classroom.  The student will be given a pass to take to the classroom teacher.

• Examples of unexcused tardies are as follows:  Oversleeping and missing the bus.
• Three (3) tardies will count as one (1) unexcused absence.

Makeup Policy

All work for absences must be made up.  When your child is absent from school and needs his/her homework assignment, please telephone the school office in the morning.  The teacher will be notified and will make a folder which includes all homework.  Homework assignments can be picked up in the school office at the end of the school day or sent home with another child if requested.

Truancy Ordinance

On December 1, 2004, the Gila River Indian Community Council enacted Ordinance GR-05-04, which revised the Gila River Indian Community’s Truancy Code.  The truancy code begins at Section 4.605.02.B. of the Gila River Indian Community Children’s Code.  Casa Blanca Community School will follow and enforce this code.  Copies of the truancy code are available at the school office.

Truancy means more than five (5) absences from school during any one semester, without a valid excuse.