Attendance Policy

Regular school attendance is crucial because it:
relates directly to academic success, benefits learners socially, promotes communication between facilitators and learners, and establishes habits of dependability important to the future of the learner.
How to notify Nea
When notifying Nea of learner absences and tardies, please provide:
  1. the learner's full name,
  2. the learner's grade level,
  3. the reason for the tardy or absence,
  4. the date of the tardy or absence.

Parents and guardians may provide this information using any of the following methods:

  1. Call 510-748-4008 and leave a message including all the information described above. Please speak slowly and clearly.
  2. Send an email to heather.mahaffey@alamedaclc.org with the information described above.
  3. Provide your learner with a signed note that includes all the information described above.

PLEASE NOTE: Parents/guardians must excuse absences or tardies within 5 school days.

Definitions of Attendance Terms

Tardies: A learner is tardy when he or she is not in class and seated at the beginning of each class period.

Absences: A learner is absent when he or she is not present for one or more class periods or project periods during the school day.

Excused: Tardies and absences due to illness, health-related appointments, family emergencies, bereavement, religious observances, approved school activities (e.g. athletic/academic competitions, college visits) or unavoidable transit difficulties (e.g. bus did not come, flat tire) are excused.

Unexcused: Tardies due to learners or family members "running late", oversleeping, finishing homework, losing track of time, missing the bus, or ordinary traffic delays are unexcused. Absences due to family travel, family guests, vacations, celebrations or birthdays are unexcused.

Regular school attendance is A shared responsibility:
  • Parents and Guardians are responsible for insuring that learners attend and get to school on time. When learners are late or absent, parents/guardians are responsible for notifying the Office as to the reason for the tardiness or absence.
  • Learners are responsible for arriving at school and class periods on time and for being in class, in the Center, or at approved off-campus activities during school hours. When late, learners are responsible for coming to the Nea Office to get a late slip before going to class.
  • Facilitators are responsible for taking attendance for each class period, for requiring late slips from learners, and for recording tardies and absences in attendance records.
  • Office and administrative staff are responsible for determining whether tardies and absences are excused or unexcused, recording them as such, and tracking and responding to patterns of tardiness, absenteeism and truancy.