Six kids absent today on the first day back after holiday break. Six. I seriously doubt all six were ill. Given a FB conversation by a few friends who live in the same district where I work, I'm wagering that many parents elected to keep kids home because they have the day off of work and to watch the rose parade. It tends to be standard procedure in this district. I'm not sure how I feel about it. When teachers are villified by politicians and the general public for not doing our job, and parents are stretching vacations by a few days on each end for their own convenience...shouldn't a conversation happen?
Usually doesn't a school district give the Monday off after a major holiday if it falls on a Sunday? I have heard of a few who did not. What about the kids who leave 2 weeks before the holiday because the air flights are cheaper and it is cheaper for the hotel rate because it is not actually the holiday weekend?? On the other hand, if a teacher in our District does not come in the day before or after a break, we have to produce a doctor's note and a letter gets put into our file.
I'm not surprised students were out...it was a national holiday, families may just be returning from New Years....my mantra is 'you miss school, you miss stuff'...just go on with your regular routine. Kids will have to make it up when they get back. I'm right back into it tomorrow.
I hear you! If we are responsible for teaching the students everything in the curriculum, attendance is important. Students need to be in school when school is in session. Attendance is one reason (of many) why some students are behind in their academics.
I don't stress it. Families make decisions all the time about their needs. We have PD days on top of regular built in calendar days off. What's the difference? REGULAR absences I would have an issue with. In this case, the school could have planned their calendar better.
Cut---the problem is that even with having today off, I bet some students will not be in school tomorrow. I had quite a few students take off the day before break and we got out the 16th! Why would you need to get off earlier than that!
Because they are tired and didn't adequately prepare for the return. It doesn't make it right, but I can understand it. If you have people that came in at the last minute or their planes are after the 3rd, then that will happen too. Suppose parents have to stagger their vacation time with other people in their work place. Also some could actually be sick or just getting over it. There are a million reasons for it. Again, it isn't a single day that creates an issue or even a few days in the year. It's REGULAR absences that creates the issues. If the SAME student was out before and after and it pops up regularly throughout the year, then definitely I would stress it. A single day, not so much. On the other end, I've seen teachers take PD days before their winter break so they can go shopping. Is that necessary? No. They can find a babysitter just like everyone else. They can fight the crowds or start earlier like everyone else. They can wait just like the students. They can go on the weekend. But it IS their decision to make. Do we stress it? Nope. (FYI, I don't do it but it IS their earned PD day).
I am suprised that any schools were in session yesterday. Our students come back tomorrow. I would not have been happy if I had to work yesterday with all of those bowl games on.
Agreed. I think that on days when there is no mail and when banks are closed, there shouldn't be school either. I'm really surprised that anyone had school yesterday. I think that it's really easy to see how a parent might have had the best intentions when planning a vacation and not realized that school was in session on a national holiday.
I know one kid who doesn't go to school on Mondays. Threatening/sending parents to court doesn't seem to make a difference.
We had 5 kids absent the first day back and we went back on Tuesday. I doubt any of them were sick because two were on vacation and another has chronic absences. One of the one's who was on vacation missed the entire week. This child is a potential holdover which means by the end of the month we will be having a conference with the mother to explain we believe her child is not going to pass the 4th grade. (We already had this conversation once with her in November.) It's really sad to see that some parents just don't stress the importance of showing up to their children. They had a week and a day off, if you're going to take a vacation, be back in time or go away in the summer.
