Why Does Alta Have a New Attendance and Personal Technology Policy?
Canyons School District High Schools have found personal technology and attendance issues have greatly impacted the ability of our students to be successful at school.
The new policies outlined below have been discussed with parents, students, teachers, and administration at the school and district levels. The most recent research data has led us in the development of this policy. Alta High School, in conjunction with the other Canyons School District High Schools, will be implementing a new Personal Technology Policy and Attendance Policy for the 2024-2025 school year.
Personal Technology Policy Summary
“Personal Technology” refers to students’ cell phones, personal computers, headphones, AirPods, smart watches, gaming devices, or anything else that can connect to the internet.
Student Technology Expectations:
- Students are expected to abstain from ANY personal technology use during class time.
- Students will not have access to personal technology while using a hall pass.
- Students are expected to use school-issued Chromebooks for technology needs.
- Students will store their personal technology in designated storage areas during:
Assessments, presentations, direct instruction, class discussions, or any other time deemed appropriate by the teacher
- Alta High School recognizes that personal technology may be used for medical reasons and the controlling of medical devices. Please speak to an administrator if this is the case with your student.
Students may use personal technology during:
- Times designated by the teacher
- Technology-based instructional activities that can’t be easily completed with a Chromebook (these times will be communicated by the teacher)
- Students will have access to their personal technology in between classes and at lunch
Parents needing to contact students during class time should contact the Alta High School Attendance Office at 801-826-5610.
Violations of the policy will be handled as follows:
- 1st Violation: Verbal redirection from teacher
- 2nd Violation: Device voluntarily surrendered for the class period to be returned at the end of the period
- 3rd Violation: The device is voluntarily surrendered to the Attendance Office for the remainder of the day (one of the campus security personnel or administrators will collect the cell phone and deliver it to the Attendance Office). Parent/guardian must collect personal technology
- 4th Violation: The device is voluntarily surrendered to the Attendance Office for the remainder of the day. Parents will be contacted. The administrative team will decide the next steps following the Canyons School District “Levels of Behavior” document. This could result in loss privileges at school.
Attendance Policy Summary
Attendance Alert Marks:
- If students have 5 or more unexcused attendance codes in a class, students will have an Attendance Alert Mark (°) generate on Skyward next to their grade.
- A grade with an Attendance Alert Mark will look like the following in Skyward: (°A, °B-, °C+)
- Students will need to clear any Attendance Alert Marks (°) starting with the 5th mark in each class.
Consequences of an Attendance Alert Mark:
- Students who fail to make up their attendance alert mark(s) may have an activity hold placed and will not be able to participate/represent Alta in any non-curricular activities (sports/club activities/concerts/productions/trips/etc.).
- Students become eligible to participate again once their attendance has been remediated.
- Students who have an attendance alert (°) may be ineligible to turn in late work in that class until the attendance alert has been cleared.
Interventions for Attendance Makeup:
- Intervention Time: Attending the class where a student has an Attendance Alert Mark during Intervention Time (7:10-7:40 AM and 2:30-3:00 PM) will remove an Attendance Alert.
- Unexcused absences require a full 60 minute session makeup with the class teacher (an absence can be made up over the course of multiple engagement sessions).
- Truancies/Way-Late tardies require a 60 minute session makeup with the class teacher (a Truancy/Way-Late can be made up over the course of multiple engagement sessions).
- Tardies require a 30 minute session makeup with the class teacher.
- Perfect Attendance
- 10 consecutive school days with perfect attendance, including no tardies or way late tardies, will clear one Attendance Alert (°).
Please review the full policies that are linked above and feel free to reach out to the school with questions. Call 801-826-5610 to be directed to your student’s administrator or to the Attendance Office.
As Alta Hawks, we hope to live up to our school’s Vision Statement: “We inspire success in academics, extracurricular activities, and leadership through active student engagement.” These updated policies will help each student to achieve their academic potential.
