Attendance and Policies -

Attendance Policy

“Regular school attendance is a necessary part of the learning process and the means to graduation with a good education. Students who are frequently absent may be putting their futures in jeopardy. Chronic absenteeism, especially truancy, is a behavior that is highly associated with dropping out of school. Regular attendance is essential for success in school.” (School Attendance Improvement Handbook, Safe Schools & Violence Prevention Office, CA Department of Education)

The Attendance Policy is an effort to continue your conscientious efforts in making regular school attendance a priority. As you spend more time in the classroom, your academic success continues to improve. Regular and punctual attendance is expected, encouraged and, as necessary, enforced. School attendance only works with cooperation between the students, parents and school. The Attendance Policy guidelines are:

24 Hour Phone Line: (408) 522-2414/Attendance desk is open 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Regular attendance is an important factor in academic success.
Students’ ALL DAY/Partial absences must be cleared within two (2) days (48 hours); otherwise it will be considered an unexcused absence.
The student's responsibility is to provide the Attendance office with accurate, current phone numbers and contacts. This may help verify absences and allow students to leave school for appointments.
If your student needs to leave campus for any reason, a parent or guardian must call the attendance desk at least 30 minutes before the student’s departure. The student and parent must pick-up an off campus pass from the attendance desk before departure, otherwise it will be considered an unexcused absences. If the student feels ill, please have the student notify the teacher so the student can be sent to the main office. To minimize disruptions in the classroom, students will not be called out of class but sent a notice that may take up to 15 minutes.
After 3 consecutive school days of illness, the student must provide a doctor’s note upon their return to school.
If your student has any type of medical appointment during school hours, the student must bring a doctor’s visit notification form when returning to school. If they are not returning to school the same day, they must bring the notice the next school day.
If a student is arriving late to school for any reason, the student should go directly to class. If the student has an excuse for the late event, please contact the attendance line.
Students are considered tardy when they arrive after the second bell rings (or when it is scheduled to ring) and within the first 29 minutes of class the students are considered tardy. After 30 minutes the tardy is considered as a truant tardy. Parents may NOT excuse a tardy.
Written notes, such as hand written ones, will be subject to verification to ensure that they are a satisfactory explanation for an absence.
Emails originating from a parent email account on record will be accepted for clearing an attendance.
Unverified absences and/or class cuts may prohibit student from making up missed assignments.
Arriving on time to class is mandatory.

Academic Honesty Policy

DISTRICT PHILOSOPHY: “PURSUING EXCELLENCE WITH INTEGRITY”

The Fremont Union High School District is committed to advancing the pursuit of intellectual excellence and to maintaining the highest standards and expectations for academic integrity among all students. We believe in establishing a school climate that promotes ethical and responsible student conduct. In conjunction with that belief, we support the development of a school culture that furthers our academic mission and recognizes the hard work of students and faculty alike. We are convinced that neither pressure for grades, inadequate time for studying or completing an assignment, nor unrealistic parental expectations justify students acting dishonestly. As a professional learning community, we affirm that “learning for learning’s sake” is intrinsically valued, and we will not tolerate any infractions that create or result in an unfair academic advantage for one student, or a disadvantage for another. In short, any form or act of academic dishonesty will undermine our standards of excellence and violate the trust that bonds all members of the school community.

DEFINITION OF ACADEMIC DISHONESTY

Academic dishonesty is using a person’s work, concepts, designs, data, ideas, research, or documentation, without giving proper credit to the source. It goes beyond plagiarism to also include lying, cheating, using or providing unauthorized materials in preparation for an exam/test/quiz, or using or providing unauthorized materials during an exam/test/quiz, and other acts, such as the theft or falsification of records and files.

FORMS OF ACADEMIC DISHONESTY (EXAMPLES INCLUDE, BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO, THE FOLLOWING):

Academic dishonesty is an act in which a student:	Examples include but are not limited to:
1. Commits plagiarism	Copying any work assigned to be done independently. (It is the responsibility of teachers to clarify expectations about homework and projects with their classes, preferably in writing on their course syllabi.) Copying or closely paraphrasing sentences, phrases, or passages from an un-cited source while writing a paper or doing research Using the views, opinions, or insights of others without proper acknowledgement
2. Submits falsified or invented work/information instead of actually doing the work, research, or task themselves	Changing or creating data in a lab experiment Writing up a fake interview Lying about attendance or ability to complete assignments and/or assessments Lying about other people being responsible for low grades or missing scores/assignments Claiming credit for work in a group project when work was done by others Attempting to misrepresent the authorship of student work, i.e., having someone else write a paper
3. Uses unauthorized tools or materials in any academic work	Accessing and/or using copyrighted test bank questions or any materials designed for instructors’ use only Looking at someone else’s work product, during an exam, test, or quiz Collaborating on an exam, test, quiz or assignment with any other person without prior approval from the teacher Using any kind of “cheat notes” during an exam, test, or quiz Using an electronic device (calculator, cell phone, camera, laptop/tablet, or other gadgets) to give or receive or copy information before, during, or after an exam, test, or quiz Having unauthorized access to or using stolen exams, tests, or quizzes Providing or selling exam, test, or quiz information to other students Using an on-line translator for more than words or phrases
4. Misuses or falsifies academic documents	Altering a transcript or report card Signing another person’s name to an attendance roster or grade check Forging a hallway pass
5. Purposefully damages or hinders the work of others	Hiding books or reference materials needed to complete an assignment Tampering with lab experiment, art project, or electronic files of another student. Fabricating or altering laboratory data
6. Assists other students in any of these acts	Knowingly allowing someone else to look at one’s work product during an exam, test, or quiz Letting others copy one’s work. (It is the responsibility of teachers to clarify expectations about homework and projects with their classes, preferably in writing on their course syllabi.)

TEACHER’S PROFESSIONAL JUDGMENT

A teacher’s professional judgment guides the implementation of the FUHSD Academic Honesty Policy. The teacher is responsible for setting the academic expectations, explaining the consequences of the Policy, evaluating any evidence of student misconduct in light of the Policy, and determining whether the Policy has been violated. Students are to conduct themselves in a sensible manner and not give the teacher cause to consider their actions a violation of the FUHSD Academic Honesty Policy.

CONSEQUENCES FOR VIOLATIONS

The District considers violations of the FUHSD Academic Honesty Policy to be serious offenses and has therefore instituted the following consequences. The consequences apply on a school-wide and district-wide basis, i.e., a violation in one class follows a student to a different class within the school, and a violation at one school follows a student to a different school within the District. Additionally, violations of the FUHSD Academic Honesty Policy are cumulative for all the years a student is enrolled in the Fremont Union High School District.

First Offense

The student will have a reduction in grade/credit (up to, and including, an “F” grade/“0” credit) on the assignment, exam, test, or quiz based upon the teacher’s grading system.
The student’s semester grade may, at the teacher’s discretion, be lowered by one full letter grade.
The teacher will confer with the student and contact the parent/guardian by phone or e-mail to review the academic dishonesty incident within two school days of becoming aware of the incident.
The teacher will submit a written referral, with appropriate documentation, to an administrator who will meet with the student and the counselor, and document the incident/follow-up action in the student information system, Infinite Campus.
Disciplinary actions may include, but are not limited to, a warning and a signed student/parental statement that acknowledges the violation/penalty, and indicates an understanding of further consequences for any subsequent offenses. Additionally, a student will be suspended from school, even on a first offense, in accordance with Education Code Section 48900, if a violation has occurred in the following areas:
- Alteration or falsification, or attempted alteration/falsification, of records (e.g., transcripts)
- Theft, or attempted theft, of records or testing materials (exams/tests/quizzes)
The student may be barred from participation or having a leadership role in a club, scholarship group, student government, athletic team, or other extracurricular activity for a period of one year from date of the violation.

Second Offense

Consequences listed in the First Offense and ONE OR MORE of the following:

A conference will be held with an administrator, parent/guardian, teacher, counselor, and student, and the incident/follow-up action will be documented in Infinite Campus.
The student will be given an “F” for the six week grading period in which the incident occurred.
The student will be dropped from the class with a grade of “F.”
The student will be suspended from school.

Third/Continuing Offenses

Consequences listed in the First Offense and ONE OR MORE of the following:

A conference will be held with an administrator, parent/guardian, teacher, counselor, and student, and the incident/follow-up action will be documented in Infinite Campus.
The student will be dropped from the class with a grade of “F.”
The student will be suspended from school.
The student may be referred to the District’s Placement Advisory Committee for transfer to another school.

APPEALS PROCESS

Students wishing to contest decisions resulting from the administration of the FUHSD Academic Honesty Policy may submit their appeals in writing to the principal.

SHARED RESPONSIBILITY FOR ACADEMIC HONESTY

Administrators, teachers, parents and students must understand, accept, and share responsibilities if this policy is to be effective.

Student Responsibilities

The student will:

Set aside sufficient time to study
Participate actively in class and attend regularly
Protect work—do not lend or borrow work
Observe test time limits
Not look at another’s test or allow his or her test to be seen
Not talk during a test or about the test until all classes have had a chance to take it
Not represent as his or her own the work of a parent, brother, sister, or anyone else
Not change a test item in any way when the test is returned for review
Not allow one member of a team to do the whole task
Learn how to attribute work properly by citation, footnote, and bibliography
Not enter teacher offices and other restricted areas without permission and/or being accompanied by a staff person

Parent Responsibilities

The parent will:

Communicate to the student values of moral and ethical behavior
Refrain from placing undue pressure for high grades at any cost
Be aware of a student’s need for a quiet time and a place to study
Support the student’s efforts, but not edit, type, or in any other way do the work
Encourage wise use of time

Teacher Responsibilities

The teacher will:

Review at the beginning of the school year the FUHSD Academic Honesty Policy along with his/her course descriptions/syllabi/green sheets that spell out clearly the consequences for academic dishonesty in his/her classes; review the various examples and forms of academic dishonesty that should be avoided
Be specific as to whether work is to be cooperative or individual, i.e., clarify the definition and expectation of “group work”
Keep completed assignments and tests secure
Inform students if unannounced tests will be used in the course
Ensure that grades in mark documents and the grade book are private and safe; not allow teaching assistants (TA’s) to make or maintain grade entries

Administrator Responsibilities

The administrator will:

Provide copies of the FUHSD Academic Honesty Policy to all teachers for distribution to students
Place the signed FUHSD Academic Honesty Policy Parent/Student Agreement Statement in cumulative folders
Support teachers in administering discipline and upholding the FUHSD Academic Honesty Policy
Record incident/follow-up action in Infinite Campus; inform teachers about outcome of the referral
Review on a case-by-case basis the need to reference infractions on Secondary School Reports
Facilitate conferences and counsel students in every case of academic dishonesty
Communicate with teachers about students who have prior violations
Collaborate with teachers in maintaining a secure digital and physical environment
Review and resolve appeals

Annual Notifications

Chronic Absenteeism Information

Dear Fremont Families,

We are changing our practice around reporting chronic absenteeism. Chronic absenteeism is the term some of us have known as truancy. The State of California defines a student as chronically absent when a student is absent half a day for 10% of the school days in a given period. According to this definition, a student who is absent 2 days a month, is chronically absent regardless of whether the absence is excused or unexcused. The philosophy of the California Department of Education reflects a belief where excused or unexcused absences inhibit a student’s ability to learn effectively.

In an effort to address this change in practice, the Fremont Union High School District and Fremont High School are working collaboratively to keep families informed about chronic absenteeism. Families will receive progressive letters and notifications depending on the severity of the absence. Initially, families will receive Letter One after a student has been absent for 10% of a reporting period. The first reporting period will consist of 4 weeks. Following the 4 week period, if families received Letter One, and the absences continue, families will receive Letter Two after 2 weeks. After the receipt of Letter Two, the process becomes more personalized based on the circumstances of the absence.

Our hope is for all our students to attend school every day and not miss any classes. We understand life events can affect the ability to come to school and we want to ensure that we are working closely with you to keep lines of communication open. We want to know we are doing everything we can to assist our students in getting to every class on time, and every day.

For any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact the climate office using the information below.

Climate Office

Estimadas familias de Fremont,

Estamos cambiando nuestra práctica alrededor del absentismo crónico. El absentismo crónico es el término que algunos de nosotros hemos conocido como Truancy. El estado de California define a un estudiante como crónico ausente cuando un estudiante está ausente medio día para 10% de los días escolares en un período. Según esta definición, un estudiante que está ausente 2 días al mes, es un crónico ausente sin importar ausencias justificadas o injustificadas. La filosofía del Departamento de Educación de CA es una ausencia afecta la capacidad del estudiante para aprender.

En colaboración con el distrito y la escuela secundaria Fremont nuestras familias recibirán letras y notificaciones progresivas dependiendo en la severidad de la ausencia. A empezar, familias recibirán la primera letra después de que un estudiante ha estado ausente por el 10% de un período. El primer período de reporte será de 4 semanas. Después del período de 4 semanas, si las ausencias continúan, las familias recibirán la letra 2 después de 2 semanas. Después de receiver las dos letras, el proceso se hace más personalizado en que queremos averiguar las circunstancias de la ausencia.

Esperamos que todos nuestros estudiantes asistan a la escuela todos los días y no falten a ninguna clase. Entendemos que los eventos de la vida pueden afectar la capacidad de venir a la escuela y queremos asegurarnos de que estamos trabajando con usted para mantener abiertas las líneas de comunicación. Queremos que usted sepa que estamos haciendo todo lo posible para ayudar a nuestros estudiantes a llegar a cada clase a tiempo, y todos los días.

Para cualquier pregunta por favor comuníquese con la oficina:

Oficina de Disciplina

Locker Policy & Procedures

In order to provide as many students as possible with an opportunity to use a school locker, the following policies and procedures will be implemented. Students will:

Share a locker with another FHS student (students may choose their partner or one will be assigned)
Complete a permission form with signatures from both students and both parents.
Must use school-issued combination lock. If the student doesn’t have a school issued lock one may be purchased ($5) at the time the school locker is registered. School officials will have a master key to these locks.
The use of locks not assigned by FHS will result in removal of lock and belongings, as well as potentially losing the locker privilege.
Use the assigned locker number. Students will not be allowed to choose their locker location.
A certain number of lockers have been allocated for each class (9-12)
Not place valuables in their locker and they should keep a record of book numbers or other materials that have been checked out from class or the library.

How to Get a School Locker

Please print out the Locker Application Form. Hard copies are in the Main Office. (This process is only for general school lockers and does not apply to PE lockers)

Students may get a school locker during registration on August 8 and 9 with the following items completed:

Must have the name of the two students on the application form with all required signatures
Bring the FHS issued lock to register it or $5 to purchase one.
Only one student needs to be present to be assigned a locker
We will take single applicants, but lockers will not be assigned until first weeks of school and the applicant may be paired with another applicant.

Students and their parents are responsible for, and will be charged for, any damage to or loss of school property that may result through the use of lockers. This includes any loss as a result of vandalism. Lockers have been subject to weekend and after school vandalism. The school will not replace any personal property brought to school or placed in lockers.

Bus Pass Application

A bus pass application must be completed and signed by the student and parent or guardian for students to receive their bus pass. Only students who live within the bus pass boundaries set by the Fremont Union High School District will qualify to receive a bus pass. See documents below for more detailed information.

Please share your application with rebecca_claros@fuhsd.org

Dress Code

Appropriate dress is necessary in order to promote a positive school environment. Clothing should not distract from the learning environment. Please be advised that every person has a different level of tolerance for hygiene and appropriate dress.

The following articles of clothing are not permitted:

Exposed undergarments;
See-through clothes (this does not mean normal exposure of straps);
Excessively short/revealing clothes;
Clothing with lewd, indecent or vulgar messages or illustrations;
Clothing that advertises products or services illegal to minors, including drugs or drug paraphernalia;
Clothing that may be perceive to be associated to gang affiliation or activities; or
Red or blue bandanas of any sort.

Violations may result in parent contact, confiscation of prohibited articles, and required change of attire. Refusal to change attire and repetitive dress code offenses may result in disciplinary action.

Electronic Devices

Fremont High School advises all students to refrain from bringing any electronics to school. If students choose to bring electronics to school, then they must abide by the following rules:

Electronic devices may be used during passing periods, brunch, and lunch;
Electronic devices classroom use is at the teachers discretion; and
Electronic devices are brought to school at the students’ own risk, lost or stolen electronics are not the responsibility of Fremont High School.

Consequences for violation of the Electronics Policies in each school year will be as follows:

First offense: May be picked up at 3:15 p.m. from the Deans' Office
Second offense: May be picked up the following day at 3:15 p.m.
Third offense: Parent/Guardian must come pick it up
Fourth offense: Parent/Guardian must come pick it up and Disciplinary Action

Student Parking

Flex Time

What is Flex Time?

Flex Time is a tool students use to support and enrich their learning.
Flex Time is a class period when students visit a chosen class to seek help with struggles or expand on interests.
Flex Time is a 40-minute period on Tuesdays and Wednesdays for students to meet with teachers, guidance counselors, and other FHS staff.

Why Flex Time?

Busy schedules (sports, clubs, jobs, and other responsibilities) can make it difficult for many students to find time to meet with teachers. Flex Time provides a chance for all students to:

Get extra help
Further their learning on topics of interest
Work with peers on class projects
Seek help with life skills (e.g., job and college applications, community service)

Through Flex Time, students will learn how to manage their time, advocate for their learning and interests, and become more independent.

Flex Time Web Application allows students to make appointments with their teachers and check existing appointments. View this Screencast for Using Web Application for more information.

Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the purpose of Flex Time?

Flex Time allows all students a chance to get extra support and increase their learning. This class period provides students with the flexibility to meet with teachers and other staff during the school day. It gives all students time to get help with challenges, dive deeper into topics of interest, work on group projects, seek help with college and job applications, and much more.

What if I don't go to Flex Time?

During Flex Time all students are required to be in a classroom or other space used for Flex Time and engaged in academic work the entire period.

Attendance for Flex Time is mandatory, just like attendance for any other class. Cuts and tardies result in detention. Missing Flex Time appointments with teachers may also result in lost opportunities to work on assignments, which could impact your grade in those classes.

If a teacher or other staff person makes an appointment for me, do I have to go?

How do I know if I have an appointment scheduled for me during Flex Time?

Can I listen to music on my phone during Flex Time?

Will I get a grade for Flex Time?

What should I do if I don’t need help with anything?

Flex Time can be used for more than just review and make-ups. Students can use Flex Time to study for tests; meet with counselors; apply to jobs, colleges, or community service opportunities; attend info sessions by guidance counselors in the small auditorium, and much more. In addition, many teachers will be offering enrichment activities. Or, ask teachers about earning community service for being a Flex Time tutor.