breetheflea
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,354
Location: PNW
Jul 20, 2014 21:57:23 GMT
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Post by breetheflea on Oct 31, 2016 18:46:04 GMT
I get it, some kids miss a lot of school. Sometimes it's just going to happen, despite the giant board outside with the attendance numbers on it, posters all over the school about not missing more than 5 days of school this year, multiple reminders in the school newsletter (please schedule all appointments after school), and now "November attendance Bingo" where if you don't miss a day in November there is a prize. Oh, and they have class contests every month this year too.
Our dentist is really really really hard to get an appointment not during school hours (because our HMO has one pediatric dentist and she doesn't work after 5pm or on weekends) and they won't fill more than one cavity per appointment. Also DS is going to have his adenoids removed and will be missing a few days of school (not scheduled yet, but coming up soon).
I am tired of the guilty looks when I check him out of school for appointments. It's not like we're going on vacation.
Also sometimes...kids get sick!
The school hired a new "attendance monitor" and I know it's her job, but sometimes it can't be helped.
Is your school pushing the attendance thing or is it just mine? This is only from the elementary, I have a middle schooler and haven't heard anything from her school.
Mom guilt.
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Post by Patter on Oct 31, 2016 18:51:15 GMT
When my girls were in public school (K-7), we got letters every single year that they were approaching the allotted number allowed to miss. I always tore them up, and I threw them in the trash. We weren't going on vacation or playing hooky. My girls had lots of doctors appointments, and taking care of their health issues was more important than worrying about what silly attendance people thought. They were always on the honor roll and continue to be as seniors in college. I don't think missing as much as they did effected them except in a good way because their health issues were monitored.
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freebird
Drama Llama
'cause I'm free as a bird now
Posts: 6,927
Jun 25, 2014 20:06:48 GMT
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Post by freebird on Oct 31, 2016 18:55:21 GMT
"sorry my kids health takes priority over your attendance agenda. Thanks anyway though. *click*"
Move on. who cares if they're annoyed.
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Post by cakediva on Oct 31, 2016 18:56:19 GMT
I'd be so frustrated to live in a school area with that restriction!
In Ontario (please, some Canadian correct me if I'm wrong) school support is based on numbers, but not DAILY numbers - yearly registration numbers!
MY kids, MY choice to pull them or not pull them (for appointments OR vacation). I'm happy to give lots of notice, have them do makeup work if need be, do whatever a teacher needs us to do (for vacation pulls) but I'll be damned if I would put up with the stink eye because, one more time, I'm taking DS to a doctor's appointment!
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Post by 950nancy on Oct 31, 2016 18:56:40 GMT
I had kids that missed over 40 days a year (not sick-had to babysit or mom didn't like to be home alone). I had kids every single year that missed this amount of school. It wasn't uncommon. We live in a military town where kids were often pulled out for two weeks to spend time/vacation with a parent who had just returned from being deployed. And then there were the normal appointments and sickness that seem to overtake the school. School's funding is tied to attendance (in our area) and that is why there is the push for better attendance. Unfortunately that flows over to the parent who doesn't have a choice for a dentist appointment. I wouldn't take it too personally. You were probably just the 15th person to pull their kid out that morning. As a teacher, I didn't take my kid out of school for appointments. It was too much of a hassle to get a sub and then my class was disrupted for the day. Thank goodness we had an orthodontist that worked until five. One of my boys was in braces for six years.
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peabrain
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 2,588
Jun 25, 2014 22:18:04 GMT
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Post by peabrain on Oct 31, 2016 19:01:24 GMT
I just saw Strive for Five signs in a neighboring district. I didn't know anything about it. My daughter had perfect attendance one year and no one said a word. I think there are families who abuse the system and those who do not and it should be fairly obvious between the two.
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Post by bc2ca on Oct 31, 2016 19:03:46 GMT
How are you schools funded? In CA it is based on seats in class every day, so funding does fluctuate with unexcused absences. When we lived in WA funding was based the school enrollment number at the beginning of October. We moved in October and the school administration teased me that I couldn't move before the funding date so they still had credit for my kids. Checking out a student for a medical/dental appointment would not count as an absence and neither would a certain number of excused illness days. If the school has hired an attendance monitor, I'd assume there is an attendance problem (and it is not you ).
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Post by Linda on Oct 31, 2016 19:04:31 GMT
this is the first year since we moved to this district in 2008, that we haven't gotten a letter about truancy for at least one of my kids - and the year is still young...
It drives me nuts - I have honour roll kids - typically A honour roll, occasionally they get one high B that drops them to A/B honour roll so missing school is obviously not having a negative impact on their grades. School policy is that they have to be 24-hr fever/diarrhea/vomiting -free before returning to school. Yet when I keep them home because they threw up the day before or were running a fever...I'm the bad guy. I REFUSE to spend $85 to have the doctor tell me that yup, they have a stomach virus or a random fever and write an excuse note - it's a waste of my money, my time, and the doctor's time. If they NEED to see a doctor, I'm happy to take them in but I can handle 24hr - 48hr virus at home.
And their physicals are in the fall after school starts because several years ago, the doctor had to cancel their just-before school started app'ts at the last minute and the re-scheduled ones weren't for nearly a month and insurance only pays if it's been a FULL year so...
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Post by Rachel on Oct 31, 2016 19:06:50 GMT
You hear about it at the elementary level because that's the targeted age level for turning around families who have poor attendance. And it does go by families rather than student. For every Johnny who is truant, he has a sister Sally who is truant as well. By the time they get to high school they are a lost cause so it's better to focus on the younger students.
As for funding, where I live, once a student shows up to school in the morning the school gets paid for that student. So leaving early for an appointment doesn't affect funding, only a student's ability to keep up in the class.
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Post by scrapsotime on Oct 31, 2016 19:18:06 GMT
They didn't push it so much when my kids were in school, but we got one of those your kid has missed too many days and if he misses more we will have to take action letters one year. It was the year he had what seemed like an ever lasting case of the chicken pox. The doctor said he couldn't go to school and he couldn't believe his case was as bad as it was. I called the school daily to keep them informed. I was also working with his teacher to keep up with his class and get his work done.
When I got the letter I called and said I can send him if you want me to, but he's still getting new blisters. They were all oh no, don't do that. I hate one size fits all policies.
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breetheflea
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,354
Location: PNW
Jul 20, 2014 21:57:23 GMT
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Post by breetheflea on Oct 31, 2016 19:19:55 GMT
How are you schools funded? In CA it is based on seats in class every day, so funding does fluctuate with unexcused absences. When we lived in WA funding was based the school enrollment number at the beginning of October. We moved in October and the school administration teased me that I couldn't move before the funding date so they still had credit for my kids. Checking out a student for a medical/dental appointment would not count as an absence and neither would a certain number of excused illness days. If the school has hired an attendance monitor, I'd assume there is an attendance problem (and it is not you ). It's based on enrollment in October. I think the big push has to do with getting test scores up not funding.
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Rhondito
Pearl Clutcher
MississipPea
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Jun 25, 2014 19:33:19 GMT
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Post by Rhondito on Oct 31, 2016 19:28:51 GMT
I can't believe your dentist only does one filling per visit - maybe that's normal but it sounds odd to me? That's really inconvenient! Do what you have to do to take care of your kids and don't worry about it - some things are more important that an attendance record.
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MerryMom
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 2,561
Jul 24, 2014 19:51:57 GMT
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Post by MerryMom on Oct 31, 2016 19:35:17 GMT
It is a state law regarding mandatory school attendance. The school has to treat all absences the same.
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Post by cindyupnorth on Oct 31, 2016 19:37:38 GMT
I guess I look at it this way, for NON sick things and non emergency things, in HS, not elementary I scheduled all appts around breaks, and holidays. I just figure as an adult, and as a college student you have to get used to doing things like that anyway. If my dentist was only open til 5pm, then I would have to find a different dentist. Or see if they open early and get in in before school/work. My college aged dd will be getting her wisdom teeth pulled. She is doing it over cmas break. the appts never interfere with school. We were also very lucky when my girls were going to elementary/HS that the school district did 4 days a wk. They had Mondays off. So we scheduled all appts for Monday. Our dentist knew that on Mondays she should set time aside for this school districts kids. worked slick.
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Deleted
Posts: 0
Sept 28, 2024 17:01:21 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Oct 31, 2016 19:39:04 GMT
As with all things like this promoted heavily by the school, my first priority is my family. I do what's best for my family then I consider what's the next thing that should take precedent. Sometimes that falls in line with this kind of push by the school and sometimes it doesn't.
My son had multiple therapist and other doctor appointments often in a given month. I tried to minimize the interruption to his school day but the schedules of his providers dictated what I was able to do in that regard. Add to the fact that we live in a rura location, even if the appointment were made after school hours, the travel time would necessitate picking him up early.
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pridemom
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 2,843
Jul 12, 2014 21:58:10 GMT
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Post by pridemom on Oct 31, 2016 19:40:14 GMT
When my girls were in public school (K-7), we got letters every single year that they were approaching the allotted number allowed to miss. I always tore them up, and I threw them in the trash. We weren't going on vacation or playing hooky. My girls had lots of doctors appointments, and taking care of their health issues was more important than worrying about what silly attendance people thought. They were always on the honor roll and continue to be as seniors in college. I don't think missing as much as they did effected them except in a good way because their health issues were monitored. My daughter has a 504 Plan that covers absences due to health. She can't be penalized for them. She's an honor student who pushes herself beyond her physical health to do well. Those letters are kicked out by a computer. We will contact the attendance office after receiving one as a heads up and then they override the system trigger on her record.
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Post by bunnyhug on Oct 31, 2016 19:49:36 GMT
So what happens when you miss more than the 'allowed' days? Because in all my years involved in the school system, I've never come across this. Our school funding is also done by some student numbers, but just on the number at the end of September. To do it daily is ridiculous!!! How do administrators make budgets and do their hiring? All the school support staff and teachers still need to be paid even if a couple kids are sick for a week?!
Our school district has a big multi-year focus on completion rates (ie finishing grade 12). They don't get funding dependant on those rates, just the satisfaction of knowing they are reaching an ever-improving number of kids. My daughter has had some struggles with anxiety the last couple years, and last year one of her coping mechanisms was to go to the library instead of class--I got a call most days, and automated notifications that she was absent for a class or two during the day. The only 'consequence ' of her horrible attendance record was that she was 'flagged' by admin as a kid who needed extra help/supports to be successful. This year, she has a counsellor and a teacher who both check in with her daily, and the one time she was late for a class, the teacher called me right then to see what was going on--just as she was walking into the room,lol! So in our experience, attendance has just been used as a tool.
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kibblesandbits
Pearl Clutcher
At the corner of Awesome and Bombdiggity
Posts: 3,305
Aug 13, 2016 13:47:39 GMT
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Post by kibblesandbits on Oct 31, 2016 20:31:47 GMT
"sorry my kids health takes priority over your attendance agenda. Thanks anyway though. *click*" Move on. who cares if they're annoyed. Well, since states pay school districts on a "butts in seats" policy, the funding takes priority over your dental appointments that could very well take place during the summer months, or over the Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Spring breaks. Oh wait, that cuts into your "fun" time. Schools are paid by attendance - keep your kid out, funding goes down. So, keep your kid in school. (BTW, using the "royal you" in this response.) SaveSave
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Post by refugeepea on Oct 31, 2016 20:34:32 GMT
Sometimes I wonder what happened to common sense. I'd be in trouble if my son went to school there. Most of our doctors are over 40 miles away.
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~Lauren~
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,876
Jun 26, 2014 3:33:18 GMT
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Post by ~Lauren~ on Oct 31, 2016 20:44:34 GMT
My typical response to "my kids, my choice" is "then home school your kids". Your child has a right to a free public education. That doesn't mean each individual parent gets to determine the rules about how the school is run and what their policies are. Don't like the rules; do the educating yourself. And if you can't, for whatever reason, then deal with the rules and be grateful that someone is taking on the responsibility for educating snowflake even IF you don't like everything or agree with everything the school does.
One size fits all policies for something like attendance is the only way for a school district to avoid the constant threat of lawsuits by parents who firmly believe that their situation is "special" or "different".
To the OP, basically you have made a choice about which dentist your kids will see. That doesn't mean the school must accomodate that dentist's office hours.
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Post by melanell on Oct 31, 2016 21:04:03 GMT
That's strange to me that they get bent out of shape over dentist appts. Around here, those are a very common reason for kids to come to school late, leave early, or be gone for a chunk of the middle of the day. No one says a word or makes any faces, etc. We bring in an excuse and all is good. I see the lists when I check my own kids out, and there are always more dental visits than kids who are actually sick or going to a doctor. Sorry you feel like people are upset with you about it. That's a crappy feeling.
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Post by secondlife on Oct 31, 2016 21:06:07 GMT
I understand it in a way. By ninth grade, school attendance is one of the major factors that can predict whether a student will finish high school or drop out.
There could be some common sense applied to students who miss frequently for legitimate reasons - including my daughter, who missed a lot in second grade due to an undiagnosed food sensitivity. And for medical appointments and dentist visits and other things necessary to the health of the student.
But school attendance makes a significant difference - to students, not just to budgets. Students belong in school.
The problem usually isn't students who have to go to the dentist a few times in a row. It's kids who don't show up because no one makes it seem important, or whose parents don't support getting those kids to school.
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freebird
Drama Llama
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Posts: 6,927
Jun 25, 2014 20:06:48 GMT
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Post by freebird on Oct 31, 2016 21:07:25 GMT
"sorry my kids health takes priority over your attendance agenda. Thanks anyway though. *click*" Move on. who cares if they're annoyed. Well, since states pay school districts on a "butts in seats" policy, the funding takes priority over your dental appointments that could very well take place during the summer months, or over the Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Spring breaks. Oh wait, that cuts into your "fun" time. Schools are paid by attendance - keep your kid out, funding goes down. So, keep your kid in school. (BTW, using the "royal you" in this response.) SaveSaveI know some may be shocked by this, but this "royal you" just doesn't care. If I need to take my kid out for an hour for a dental appointment, I will (and did). If that meant the school got $4 less that day, then sorry.
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Post by miaow on Oct 31, 2016 21:08:59 GMT
It could be regulated by the state. In many districts here, the social worker is called in when students miss 10 days in a school year for any reasons.
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~Lauren~
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,876
Jun 26, 2014 3:33:18 GMT
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Post by ~Lauren~ on Oct 31, 2016 21:10:14 GMT
Well, since states pay school districts on a "butts in seats" policy, the funding takes priority over your dental appointments that could very well take place during the summer months, or over the Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Spring breaks. Oh wait, that cuts into your "fun" time. Schools are paid by attendance - keep your kid out, funding goes down. So, keep your kid in school. (BTW, using the "royal you" in this response.) SaveSaveI know some may be shocked by this, but this "royal you" just doesn't care. If I need to take my kid out for an hour for a dental appointment, I will (and did). If that meant the school got $4 less that day, then sorry. Can I assume therefore that if your child exceeds the allotted number of absences you will not squawk about any consequence?
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Deleted
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Sept 28, 2024 17:01:21 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Oct 31, 2016 21:12:39 GMT
In my area, school funding is tied to attendance. It sucks. Our district finally just let parents know the official attendance time, and just asked parents to schedule appointments where they wouldn't be out of class/school at that particular time. That helped a bit with all the angst and pressure.
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freebird
Drama Llama
'cause I'm free as a bird now
Posts: 6,927
Jun 25, 2014 20:06:48 GMT
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Post by freebird on Oct 31, 2016 21:14:50 GMT
I know some may be shocked by this, but this "royal you" just doesn't care. If I need to take my kid out for an hour for a dental appointment, I will (and did). If that meant the school got $4 less that day, then sorry. Can I assume therefore that if your child exceeds the allotted number of absences you will not squawk about any consequence? My kids are grown so not an issue. But never got in trouble once. On the other hand, if kids needed to go to the dentist, no one complained either.
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AmeliaBloomer
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Posts: 6,842
Location: USA
Jun 26, 2014 5:01:45 GMT
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Post by AmeliaBloomer on Oct 31, 2016 21:22:36 GMT
There are two separate attendance issues: school funding and student outcomes/achievement.
I assume that those of you talking about your honor roll kids know that your school pushes attendance because of achievement, not funding.
In the districts I work, a child has to arrive by a certain time and not leave before a certain time for the state to pay the school for that kid for that day. My own kids' school used to encourage us to make appointments before/after these time cut-offs. If you were off by a few minutes, there was zero state reimbursement for that day.
We're talking a tremendous amount of money. Hard to make budgets when things are this iffy.
(I've never heard of the pro-rating thing here, but if we did that, $4 would pay for only a very short time.)
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~Lauren~
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Jun 26, 2014 3:33:18 GMT
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Post by ~Lauren~ on Oct 31, 2016 21:23:29 GMT
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Deleted
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Sept 28, 2024 17:01:21 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Oct 31, 2016 21:44:23 GMT
In the school district we live in....when my kids were in public school.....if your kid's butt was in a seat at 10 am....all was good.
I took my DS out of school many times at random times of his school day, to go to counseling. If he'd known when I was going to pick him up, he wouldn't have been in school. Thankfully, counseling got us through that rough time.
I always checked him out of school with a stink eye. The attendance ladies never questioned my intentions. I never received a letter and my son never missed an assignment as I was in email contact with his teachers.
If I received a letter...I'd toss it and go on with what my child needed me to do.
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