Are those absentee letters a big deal?

[mattemma04]

Our local school sends a letter out after 8 days of missed school.I had thought it was only for days a parent does not bother to call a child in,but no those count as unexcused. Ofcourse I could pay a doctor to verify illness,but I think that is silly, and can get darn expensive at $75-200 a visit.

What do schools do beyond sending the letters?

Dd had chills,then fever,now aching so I think she has the flu. I am keeping her home,and we may pass our limit of 8 days.

[ayme371]

I'm not sure about a doctors note but at our school, if a child has something like 12 unexcused absences a letter is sent out and the parent may have to go to court and could end up with a $300 fine.

For the most part as long as a parent sends in a note that the child was sick the absence is excused.

HTH

[Emmeline II]

I would find the policy in writing; most of the time people talk out of their butt.

[LiamnEmma]

Usually the first letter is not a big deal. But the national average of missed days is somewhere around 8 - 10 days per year. After that, particularly if the child is having academic issues, etc., the school might refer you to their attendance review board, which is generally (in my experience) compiled of a district attorney, the district's truant officer, a nurse, a counselor, etc. It's a panel that the parents appear before to discuss the reasons for the absences and to come up with a plan to increase attendance. But mostly it's meant to scare the parents into bringing their kids to school. I've found that when the students truly seem to be ill, when they're otherwise progressing and do not have significant behavior issues, it's unlikely that there is progression beyond that initial letter. Our computer systems are set to automatically tag students with a certain percentage of absences/tardies so that such letters will be sent out. I've even gotten the letter for my own son, who'd only missed one day of school, but I think that year the principal sent out a blanket letter to all the students attending the school at the time.

[mommy68]

I thought most schools can accept a note from the parent if the child is out sick?? That's what I do when my oldest two DS are out sick. This is acceptable unless they are out for a very long time. I can't imagine taking my kids to a doctor every single time they have a 24 hour puke session or a slight cold and want to stay home. That's crazy!! I would have a serious problem with that.

In their school they have 16 days per year that they can be out and it depends on the length of each period they are out and what it is for as to whether or not the school gets concerned.

[mattemma04]

Thanks for the input from everyone. I wish they would just take my word that she is sick. I have called my dd off for today and tomorrow,and that is the limit-7 before getting a warning letter at 8 days missed.I really want to just keep her home that last day(Friday) instead of exposing her again while she is recovering, which is what I assumed happened these last few times I sent her back asap..cough,then a cold, and now the flu. She IS doing quite well though considering the flu.My dh was a super sick baby for days when he had it!

I am wanting to pull her out anyway(working on dh) to hs,but don't want to do so with a *bad mark*.And I have no idea what I will do if she stays in school, and needs to miss more days over illness. Her grades thus far are good.She just gets sick.It was like this at start of preschool. Dh wasn't very supportive when I called him saying I should have sent her in anyway.I don't think anyone would welcome getting the flu just before the holidays!
Anyway thanks again.Interestingto read how schools handle this.We'll see on Friday!

[Flor]

I think at our school if the sickness last longer than a few days, it needs a docs excuse. I think if it is longer than 4 days? Actually, we sent dss to visit his grandma for 5 days and called him in sick. . . and we didn't have a problem. At our school district, you get the letter. You might have to go to the school attendance review board (which is run through the police) and it might be a pain, and even embarassing, but nothing REALLY comes of it. Maybe they CAN fine you, but they don't. You should ask to see the policy in writing just to clear it up for yourself.

[mattemma04]

Well I called my dd off again today due to her flu.I got a call from the principal letting me know that he would be sending out a warning letter due to the 8 days she has missed since September.At 15 days we get sent to juvie court.He said I could remove some of the more recent days if I fax in a letter from a doctor,but I am not going to spend the money and expose dd to other sick people to get a note to prove she is sick. I will probably remove her from ps during break if I can get dh to agree.

[Flor]

What is their policy? I'd ask to see it in writing. I don't belive individual schools decide this, I thought it was part of the education code. No doubt they are bullying you, they want your daily attendance dollars, but I wonder what the ACTUAL policy is. How many days can a parent excuse?

[AmandasMom]

my dd started first grade in october, we hs'd until then. she was sick one week, was out for 8 days, and the school called me every day at 1pm with a recorded message that she wasnt there for roll call. then one day the principal called me and said I needed a dr's note everytime she was out for more then 3 days or a truancy officer would be called. I told her she must be kidding me, dd is 6 years old, out sick, not out skipping school.

i understand the policy and im glad it wasn't around when I was in high school ( ), but thsi is 1st grade and no way im spending $30 per office visit to "prove" she was sick. what about those who aren't lucky enough to have insurance? just walking in the door is over $70.

[captain optimism]

I would be surprised if your doctor's office made you come in for such a note. I would phone them, tell them how long she's had a fever and what temp, and ask them to fax in the letter.

Sorry your little girl has the flu.

[~member~]

Call the school and find out.

I had to go to trial for my dd missing 7 days of school when she was in Kindergarten. I had to bring her with me to the hospital and it was considered unexcused because I was the one who was hospitalized, not her.

I was charged with educational neglect under the new No Child Left Behind Act.

[BusyMommy]

OMG that's sick! (no pun intended) Wow, I cannot believe they would do that. Besides, isn't kinder optional for you? Not at all mandatory here. That just reeks of "big brother-ism."

We do 2 2+ week vacations/year. One of our friends is in Brazil for 8 weeks, one in Holland for 3 weeks and yet another in Ca for 6 weeks. NONE of us have had any issues at all w/our schools.

[mattemma04]

I looked up the school policy.Perhaps it has changed in the booklet we got in the fall,but the 8 days was regarding tardiness.Letters for absences were to go out at 10 days. I guess a missed day without a doctors note is a tardy? I doubt our doctor would note us without a visit.We only see him once a year for a check up, and we always get told to come back in 6 months.

School policy:
<<<ATTENDANCE – We believe that regular attendance promotes academic success. It is important that a child arrives at school physically and mentally alert. Part of the child’s being prepared should include breakfast, sufficient rest, and cleanliness. Attendance will be monitored and parents will be notified by letter when students miss 10-15-20 days. These letters are NOT to question a parent’s reasons for keeping the child home, but rather to keep the parent aware of the number of days the student has missed.

ABSENCES – If a child is absent from school for any reason, parents are asked to call the school at 797-3934 between 8:00-9:00 a.m. to report the absence. Arrangements can be made at this time for picking up schoolwork. If a call is not received by the school, we will attempt to contact the parents or guardian, by phone, later in the day. If this contact is unsuccessful, a letter will be sent by the school within (5) five days.

TARDY – Any student arriving at school after the start of the school day and within the first 2 clock hours are considered tardy, unless bus transportation was the cause. Students absent from school for 4 hours, regardless of cause or reason, shall be considered absent one full school day.

EXCESSIVE TARDIES – When students are tardy, notification letters will be sent home at the 8th and the 15th tardy. Disciplinary action (recess or after-school detention, etc.) will be assigned for excessive tardies. The County Attendance Officer may also be asked to conference with parents if the tardies persist.

>>>

[mattemma04]

<<<just walking in the door is over $70.>>>
We actually HAVE insurance,but our yearly deduct. per person is $250,so I end up paying. If we went somewhere local I would pay $120 for urgicare or $190 at any doctors office to pay for a new patient fee,and then $75-80 per visit.

[Flor]

Originally Posted by mattemma04

I looked up the school policy.Perhaps it has changed in the booklet we got in the fall,but the 8 days was regarding tardiness.Letters for absences were to go out at 10 days. I guess a missed day without a doctors note is a tardy? I doubt our doctor would note us without a visit.We only see him once a year for a check up, and we always get told to come back in 6 months.

School policy:
<<<ATTENDANCE – We believe that regular attendance promotes academic success. It is important that a child arrives at school physically and mentally alert. Part of the child’s being prepared should include breakfast, sufficient rest, and cleanliness. Attendance will be monitored and parents will be notified by letter when students miss 10-15-20 days. These letters are NOT to question a parent’s reasons for keeping the child home, but rather to keep the parent aware of the number of days the student has missed.

ABSENCES – If a child is absent from school for any reason, parents are asked to call the school at 797-3934 between 8:00-9:00 a.m. to report the absence. Arrangements can be made at this time for picking up schoolwork. If a call is not received by the school, we will attempt to contact the parents or guardian, by phone, later in the day. If this contact is unsuccessful, a letter will be sent by the school within (5) five days.

TARDY – Any student arriving at school after the start of the school day and within the first 2 clock hours are considered tardy, unless bus transportation was the cause. Students absent from school for 4 hours, regardless of cause or reason, shall be considered absent one full school day.

EXCESSIVE TARDIES – When students are tardy, notification letters will be sent home at the 8th and the 15th tardy. Disciplinary action (recess or after-school detention, etc.) will be assigned for excessive tardies. The County Attendance Officer may also be asked to conference with parents if the tardies persist.

>>>

So, it's just a notice to let you know, right?

[mattemma04]

<<<So, it's just a notice to let you know, right?
__________________

>>>

Yes, if I remember correctly from the phone conversation with the principal he informed me that after 8 unexcused absences a letter must be sent out to warn me of the missed days,and to tell me that after 15 days we would be refered to juvenille court. I am not sure why my calling dd off for illness is considered a tardy,but I am not going to argue.And even though they say they do not question a parents reason for calling a child off I was questioned.I told him that dd also missed a number of days when starting preschool,and that the absences should tarper off now that she has contracted the most common illnesses.

She does not want to go back,and after a month of trying to improve the situation I have agreed to pull her out. Now we just have to get her things

[bobandjess99]

Here, you FAIL....no exceptions, for more rhan 10 abscenses per year...that is actually the same policy in..oh, about the last 3-4 schools I attended personally (way back in the 90's, LOL!!!) and the ones i am currently familiar with through my stepsons and brother and several other school age people.....i honestl thought it was the law everywhere??? (i'm talking about dfifferent school districts in different states even!)

Basically, the schools here do not build in a very large margin for abseces...according to the law, you HAVE to be in schoo a certain number of days for the year to count....and they only have school 10 additional days beyond that minimum number...SO, if you miss more than 10 days, for ANY reason, you do not get credit for the school year PERIOD.
The only possible exceptions are for hospitalization (of the student) and *possibly* the death of the students primary parent. NOTHING ELSE.

VACATIONS? REALLY? a public school lets you get away with that? OMG..there is a special section in our attendance that family vacations are absolutely non-excusable and the truant officer will be called IMMEDIATELY (regardless of previous number of absences) if you try to get away with taking a kid out of school for a vacation.....IN FACT, they deliberately schedule finals and papers and other important stuff on the days immediately before and ofter scheduled school vacation (like Xmas break), such that if you were to miss one of those days...basically, you';d fail the class anyway by missing the work from that day.

[BusyMommy]

Ya know, I'm not into homeschooling but that policy would surely drive a huge wedge btw public education and my family. That's a little too "Big Brother" for my taste. Arent' public schools to serve the public? As a teacher, we always felt that we were there for our community not that they had to suck up to us and our rigid rules.

Again
WOW that sux

[Kari_mom]

We had been considering homeschooling for a while, but an excessive absence letter with threats of truancy court from the public school where my children attended made up our minds.

We received the letters after my two elementary age kids missed 8 days of school in one quarter. If we had submitted doctor's notes, those days would not have counted against us. The rule about the doctor's excuses was in the handbook, but had not been enforced for the previous 5 years I had a child in that school. I figured I don't need a doctor's visit to know that my child should not attend school according to the guidelines in the student handbook, stuff like vomiting and high fevers, apparently I was wrong. If my children missed 5 more days total in the remainder of the year, they would be considered unexcused if a doctor's note was not submitted excusing the absence, and we would have to go to truancy court. It was ridiculous.

During this time, both my kids totally maintained their A average grades. Really, it did help me decide that they could remain A students at home.

NCLB is crazy.