Attendance at Harada: Partnering for Student Success
Every day a student walks through our doors is a day full of discovery, connection, and growth. At Harada Elementary School, we believe that regular attendance is the foundation of high-level learning. We are committed to partnering with our Riverside Unified School District (RUSD) families to ensure every Hornet has the support they need to be in class, on time, every day. More information here...
💡 Truancy vs. Chronic Absence: Understanding the Difference
Not all school misses are the same. We focus on both compliance and the academic impact of missed school days so we can best support your child.
Truancy
Chronic Absence
What is counted?
Only unexcused absences.
All missed days (Excused, unexcused, and suspensions).
The Focus:
Compliance with California school attendance laws.
The academic and social impact of missed classroom time.
The Approach:
Administrative and legal solutions.
Community-based, supportive, and positive strategies.
📜 Our Attendance Framework & Policies
Mandatory Attendance & Accountability
In accordance with California Education Code 48290, school-age children are expected to attend school every single day. While the law authorizes the County District Attorney to hold parents accountable for compulsory attendance, our primary goal at Harada is to collaborate with you early to prevent legal steps.
Parent Notification Letters
If an attendance pattern begins to impact your child's learning, the District Office sends out supportive notifications to alert families and invite corrective action. You may receive:
Tardy Letters: Sent when morning arrivals consistently impact the start of the instructional day.
Excessive Excused Absence Letters: Sent when a high volume of excused misses starts adding up to critical lost learning time.
Truancy Letters: Sent when unexcused absences occur without valid communication.
What is SARB? (School Attendance Review Board)
When severe, habitual truancy or chronic absences continue despite school intervention, families are recommended to the School Attendance Review Board (SARB).
The Goal: A SARB hearing is a collaborative panel designed to build an intensive support plan for your family.
Please Note: If attendance does not improve following a SARB hearing, the matter is unfortunately referred to the courts, which may issue penalties to seek compliance with compulsory attendance.
🤝 How We Support Our Harada Families
Attendance challenges usually mean a family needs a helping hand. Together with RUSD, we provide a multi-tiered system of support to get our students back on track.
School Site Support at Harada
Our campus attendance teams work hard to build a positive school culture where students feel excited to learn. We provide:
Tier 1 Campus Community: Building strong student engagement, parent involvement, and a warm school climate.
Data & Outreach: Analyzing trends to catch attendance challenges early and reaching out with positive Tier 2 interventions.
SART Support: Hosting School Attendance Review Team (SART) meetings right here on campus to problem-solve face-to-face with families.
Presentations: Providing helpful attendance workshops and presentations for student groups and parent organizations.
District-Level & Tier 3 Support
When specialized care is needed, Harada works seamlessly with the RUSD district team to provide targeted, compassionate intervention:
Home Visits: Meeting families where they are to understand barriers to school attendance.
Special Program Collaboration: Partnering with Foster Youth, McKinney-Vento (homeless support), and other Special Programs to guarantee equity and access.
Community Agency Referrals: Connecting families to local resources, housing support, healthcare, or counseling.
Need help getting your student to school? > Please don't wait for a letter. Reach out to the Harada Elementary front office today. We are here to support you, troubleshoot barriers, and celebrate every day your child is in class!
🧠 The 9-Minute Theory: Shaping Our Homes Through Connection
As parents and caregivers, we know how easily the daily routine can feel rushed or overwhelming. Between morning scrambles, after-school energy shifts, and bedtime battles, our children’s nervous systems (and our own!) can easily get dysregulated. When a child is feeling anxious, stressed, or emotionally uncomfortable, it becomes incredibly difficult for them to listen, problem-solve, or self-regulate.
Fortunately, renowned neuroscientist Jaak Panksepp, PhD, developed a powerful, simple framework that can completely transform the energy in your home: The 9-Minute Theory.
🕒 The Core Concept: 3 Minutes, 3 Times a Day
The 9-Minute Theory shows that we don't need hours of extra time to build deep emotional security. Instead, focusing on just three minutes during three critical times of the day provides the predictability and connection children need to feel safe and calm.
Children naturally mirror our emotions (a concept called relational contagion). By intentionally anchoring these three windows of time, we can create a sense of safety that carries them through the rest of the day.
You don't need a perfect schedule to make this work—just deep intention during these short windows.
Here are quick, simple practices you can weave into your family's daily routine:
🌅 1. The First 3 Minutes (The Wake-Up)
Instead of immediately jumping into a checklist of chores, school clothes, and breakfast deadlines, focus purely on connection for the first three minutes after your child wakes up.
Warm Welcomes: Greet them with a hug, a gentle back rub, or a soft, personalized greeting before talking about the day's schedule.
The Snuggle Buffer: Spend three minutes just sitting or cuddling together on the couch or bed to let their nervous system transition peacefully from sleep to awake.
Positive Framing: Fill their cup first by saying something simple like, "I'm so happy to see your face this morning."
🎒 2. The Next 3 Minutes (The Reunion)
The moment your child comes home from school or you pick them up is a massive transition. They are often exhausted from masking their emotions and following rules all day.
Put Devices Down: For the first three minutes of seeing them, put away your phone, close the laptop, and give them your full eye-level presence.
Drop the Interrogation: Avoid immediately asking about grades, homework, or missing jackets. Instead, focus on them. Say, "I missed you today! I'm so glad we're back together."
Co-Regulation: If they are having a meltdown or bringing high energy home, offer a quiet hug or sit near them without forcing them to talk right away. Let your calm anchor their chaos.
🌙 3. The Last 3 Minutes (The Bedtime)
How a child falls asleep dictates how their brain processes the day and rests for the next morning. Use the final three minutes before lights out for ultimate comfort and closure.
The Highlight Reel: Ask a low-stakes, comforting question like, "What was your favorite part of today?" or "When did you feel loved today?"
Release the Day's Stress: If it was a tough day filled with arguments, use this time to repair. Say, "Today had some hard moments, but I love you no matter what, and tomorrow is a brand-new day."
Predictable Send-offs: End the night with a consistent phrase, a special handshake, or a lullaby. Hearing "You are safe, you are loved, and I'll see you in the morning" gives their brain the exact security it needs to rest deeply.
The Power of Connection: Our children's brains are beautifully resilient. By intentionally capturing just nine minutes a day, we build a foundation of emotional wealth that protects them from stress and helps them truly thrive.
At Harada Elementary and across Riverside Unified, we use ParentSquare as our all-in-one communication platform. Designed to boost two-way communication, ParentSquare empowers families and school staff to chat, participate, and collaborate like never before—all to help our students shine.
Whether you are new to the platform or just need a quick refresher, we have you covered. Explore the videos, guides, and step-by-step tutorials below to get fully connected and make the most of your ParentSquare experience!
A brand new school year brings new opportunities! To support our community during these first days of school, RUSD has gathered essential resources to ensure a smooth transition back to the classroom. From important district updates to troubleshooting the digital tools available to your family, we have you covered. Click here to dive into more information.
The RUSD Family Resource Center (FRC) connects our Harada families with essential school services, community resources, parenting workshops, and digital tools. From tutoring and housing assistance to free technology programs, the FRC is here to support your whole family.
🤝 Connect & Collaborate: RUSD Family Engagement Groups
At Riverside Unified, we believe that education is a true partnership between our schools and our community. We offer a variety of district and site-level engagement groups designed to give parents and caregivers a powerful voice in our students' education. Whether you are collaborating on school goals through the School Site Council (SSC), advocating for multilingual learners in ELAC/DELAC, or building community spirit with the PTA, your involvement makes a difference. Explore our family engagement opportunities below and join us in helping every RUSD student thrive!
🤍 Supporting the Whole Child: Mental Health & Wellness Resources
In Riverside Unified, we believe that academic success goes hand-in-hand with emotional well-being. We are fully committed to supporting the social-emotional needs of our students, staff, and families by providing comprehensive, confidential mental health resources right when you need them.
🏫 1. The Student Assistance Program (SAP)
Every school site across RUSD has direct access to a licensed professional therapist known as a SAP Counselor. These dedicated professionals work directly on our campuses to provide a vital layer of short-term support for students and families.
What Do SAP Counselors Do?
Direct Student Care: Provide short-term individual and group counseling for social-emotional challenges.
School-Wide Support: Teach impactful classroom lessons, enhance campus Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) systems, and lead vital prevention services targeting bullying, violence, and substance abuse.
Family Partnerships: Guide and support families through collaborative meetings, focused support groups, and educational workshops.
How to Request SAP Support
Referrals can be made by school staff, but students and parents can also request help directly. If your student is navigating a recent loss, changes in behavior, bullying, inconsistent attendance, a sudden drop in grades, or family conflict, please reach out.
💬 How to connect: To learn more or request short-term campus counseling for your student, please contact your school site administrator today.
🌐 2. Care Solace: 24/7 Mental Health Care Navigation
When your family needs mental health or substance abuse resources beyond the school day, RUSD proudly partners with Care Solace. This confidential service is available to all RUSD students, staff, and families at absolutely no cost.
Care Solace is a premium online resource backed by a live, 24/7 concierge team dedicated to doing the heavy lifting of finding local, verified care providers for you.
Why Use Care Solace?
Completely Anonymous: The system does not require your name, address, phone number, or date of birth to browse resources.
Tailored to You: By answering ten basic questions, the system filters trusted local providers based on age, gender, zip code, and your family's specific needs.
All Insurances Welcomed: Care Solace filters options for all types of private insurance, Medi-Cal, Medicaid, Medicare, as well as options for those without insurance.
100% Optional: This service is entirely voluntary and is provided as a supportive resource for our community.
🛡️ Find a provider today: If you are interested in seeking counseling, therapy, or substance use services for yourself or a loved one, please visit www.caresolace.com/rusdfamilies to connect with a care concierge immediately.
At the Harada Elementary, we believe that a thriving school starts with well-being. We strive to empower students, families, and staff by building resilience from the ground up. By fostering deep connections and working collaboratively across our community, we cultivate an everyday atmosphere of healing, hope, and unconditional acceptance. We’re here to help every individual grow, heal, and succeed.
The magic of The Leader in Me lies in creating a seamless transition between the classroom and the living room. When teachers and parents speak the same "leadership language," children don't just learn a curriculum—they adopt a lifestyle.
