Vista Heights
Middle School
Attendance
Overview
Independent Studies
What is Short-Term Independent Study?
Short-Term Independent Study (STIS) is a program available to all MVUSD students who will miss school due to planned or unplanned absences. It provides students the opportunity to stay on track academically and allows absences to be counted as Independent Study complete once assignments are finished.
Who is Eligible?
- All MVUSD students
- Students with an absence of 1–15 school days
- Students with multiple STIS contracts throughout the school year (as long as the total number of days does not exceed 15)
Why consider STIS?
- Helps students stay caught up academically
- Prevents absences from negatively impacting attendance records
- Supports student engagement and routine during time away
How does it work?
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Parent Request: Contact your child’s school to request Short-Term Independent Study.
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Parents may also pre-sign Master Agreements ahead of time so services are ready when needed.
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- Independent Study Agreement: A contract is created for the days the student will be out.
- Work Provided: The school will provide assignments that reflect missed classroom instruction.
- Attendance Recovered: When the student returns and submits completed work, their attendance is updated to Independent Study complete for those days.
Important Reminders
- Work must be turned in on time for attendance to be recovered
- Students who exceed 15 days total of STIS require a move to Long-Term Independent Study through Moreno Valley Online Academy (MVOA)
- Please notify your school as early as possible.
How to Request Short-Term Independent Study
Contact your child’s school attendance office for support and required paperwork.
Saturday Innovation Camp
Program Information
During each Saturday session, our students will have the opportunity to enrich their skills in the Portrait of a Graduate core competencies. The lessons are innovative and meaningful, and may encompass the four core areas: English Language Arts (ELD) (Reading), Mathematics, Social Science and Science.
Pre-Registration is required. Please register by the Wednesday before the desired date of attendance.
Note: Free meals are provided. Transportation is not provided
Upcoming Dates
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All students are invited to participate in our Saturday Innovation Camp program at their home school site!
Locations
Our program is offered on a rotating basis for elementary schools. Please check the date and the appropriate cohort/group (use the table below) to learn when your child can attend.
All middle schools and high schools will host Saturday Innovation Camp on all of the dates.
Special Events
Special events can earn credit. Check the district's weekly messages via ParentSquare for more information. Upcoming events that may qualify are:
- SoulFest
- Moachella Festival
Questions?
If you have any questions, please contact: (951) 571-7630 or email CWA@mvusd.net.
Elementary Cohorts
Cohorts/Groups
| Cohort 1 | Cohort 2 | Cohort 3 | Cohort 4 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Box Springs | Creekside | Bear Valley | Armada |
| Hidden Springs | Edgemont | Cloverdale | Chaparral Hills |
| Honey Hollow | Ramona | Moreno | Hendrick Ranch |
| Midland | Sunnymead ES | North Ridge | La Jolla |
| Seneca | Sunnymeadows | Ridge Crest | Serrano |
| Sugar Hill | TownGate | Butterfield Language Academy |
Education Codes
Our goal is to provide every student with the education and skills necessary to be successful in school and in life. Being present and engaged in school is important to achieve this goal.
Each person in California between the ages of 6 and 18 years, who is not legally exempt, is subject to compulsory school attendance. Each parent or guardian has the responsibility to send students to school for the full time of the school day as designated by the Board of Education. (EC 48200) A written excuse shall be submitted by the parent or guardian and approved by the principal. (EC 48205)
A major goal of the District is the improvement of attendance. While the district cannot guarantee that “learning will occur just because a child is in school,” it can guarantee that learning will not take place if the child is absent. There is a strong correlation between attendance and learning. Good attendance generally leads to improved learning.
Parents or guardians will be given three days to provide the school with documentation for a student’s absence. A student can be declared a truant on the third unexcused absence. After three days, all uncleared absences will be converted to unexcused. Exceptions for absences must be approved by a school administrator. Students with excused absences, as specified, shall be given the opportunity to make-up, for full credit, all assignments and tests missed that can be reasonably provided and completed, with no grade reduced or academic credit lost. (EC 48980)
Any student subject to compulsory full-time education or to compulsory continuing education who is absent from school without a valid excuse for three full days in one school year or tardy or absent for more than any 30-minute period during the school day without a valid excuse on three occasions in one school year, or any combination thereof, is a truant and shall be reported to the district’s attendance supervisor or to the Superintendent of the school district. Excessive excused absences are defined as absent from school for five (5) or more days out of twenty (20) school days or a pattern of irregular attendance. (EC 48260, 48263)
Moreno Valley Unified School District urges parents/guardians to make sure their children attend school regularly and to schedule medical and other appointments so that a student misses none, or only a small part of the school day. The District also requests that travel or other absences be avoided during the time school is in session. The higher the student’s daily attendance rate, the more a student will learn and the greater the amount of funding that the District will receive from the state for classroom instruction and academic programs.
Following an absence, a parent/guardian is required to provide verification of the absence, verbally or in writing, upon the student’s return to school. Illnesses and doctor and dental appointments are considered excused absences. Verification from the doctor or dentist is recommended. Children should not be sent to school when they are not feeling well. Once a student has been excused for an absence on more than 14 occasions, a Doctor’s note may be required. Absences without an excuse, within three school days, are recorded as unexcused. Exceptions for unexcused absences may only be excused by the school principal.
The school calendar is designed to minimize problems for families that plan vacations around traditional holiday periods, thereby minimizing student absences.
Excused Absences
(a) Notwithstanding Section 48200, a pupil shall be excused from school when the absence is:
1. Due to the pupil’s illness, including an absence for the benefit of the pupil’s mental or behavioral health (Senate Bill 14, Approved and Filed October 8, 2021).
2. Due to quarantine under the direction of a county or city health officer.
3. For the purpose of having medical, dental, optometric, or chiropractic services rendered.
4. For the purpose of attending the funeral services of a member of his or her immediate family, so long as the absence is not more than one day if the service is conducted in California and not more than three days if the service is conducted outside of California.
5. For the purpose of jury duty in the manner provided for by law.
6. Due to the illness or medical appointment during school hours of a child of whom the pupil is the custodial parent.
7. For justifiable personal reasons, including, but not limited to, an appearance in court, attendance at a funeral service, observance of a holiday or ceremony of his or her religion, attendance at religious retreats, or attendance at an employment conference, or attendance at an educational conference on the legislative or judicial process offered by a non-profit organization when the pupil’s absence has been requested in writing by the parent or guardian and approved by the principal or a designated representative pursuant to uniform standards established by the governing board.
8. For the purpose of serving as a member of a precinct board for an election pursuant to Section 12302 of the Elections Code.
9. For the purpose of spending time with a member of the pupil's immediate family, who is an active duty member of the uniformed services, as defined in EC § 49701, and has been called to duty for, is on leave from, or has immediately returned from deployment to a combat zone or combat support position. Absences granted pursuant to this paragraph shall be granted for a period of time to be determined at the discretion of the superintendent of the school district.
10 For the purpose of attending the pupil’s naturalization ceremony to become a United States citizen.
11. For the purpose of participating in a cultural ceremony or event (Assembly Bill 516, Approved and Filed September 24, 2021).
(b) A student absent from school under this section shall be allowed to complete all assignments and tests missed during the absence that can be reasonably provided and, upon satisfactory completion within a reasonable period of time, shall be given full credit. The teacher of any class from which a pupil is absent shall determine the tests and assignments shall be reasonably equivalent to, but not necessarily identical to, the tests and assignments that the pupil missed during the absence.
(c) For purposes of this section, attendance at religious retreats shall not exceed four hours per semester.
(d) Absences pursuant to this section are deemed to be absences in computing average daily attendance and shall not generate state apportionment payments.
(e) “Immediate family,” as used in this section, has the same meaning as that set forth in Section 45194, except that references therein to “employee” shall be deemed to be references to “pupil.”
Chronic Absenteeism
Students who are absent for more than 10% of school days are considered chronically absent and are less likely to read at grade level and more likely to be at risk of dropping out of school before completing high school.
Health & Wellness Center
Health and Wellness Center |
For MVUSD Students & Families
- Clothing
- Food
- Laundry
- Mental Health Services
- School Supplies
- Shower Access
- And Much More
Visit mvusd.net/hwcenter for more information.