How many times has your kid been absent this year ?

Just curious.

Got a letter home about the total number of absences. It felt like a lot and they had some standard message that made me feel sort of guilty.

That being said, he was legit sick and there was maybe 2x it was because of a family issue. The rest were when I knew school was going to end up being early dismissal due to snow and I didn't even bother sending him in.

Just wondering what the norm is.

Re: How many times has your kid been absent this year ?

I think my daughter in second grade has missed 4-5 days this year, she has ended the two prior years with about the same number. She was sick for all but one when we were in Boston because DH had a conference and we felt it was a good learning experience for her.

Last year my neighbor's kid in DD's grade had missed about 15 days by April. They made her go in for a conference.

Re: How many times has your kid been absent this year ?

How old is he?

DD 4th grade was absent 1x the day before Thanksgiving because we went out of town.

DD 6th grade 4 days due to illness which were more stress-related she had headaches ??

My kids either get a mild illness on weekends or just get colds and I send them to school since I work.

Message edited 5/26/2015 8:34:45 PM.

Re: How many times has your kid been absent this year ?

My county's schools don't send letters home unless there's a large number of unexcused absences. Did you send in a note when he went back to school after each absence explaining why he was out? If no letter is sent in, then the absence is considered truant.

How many times has your kid been absent this year ?

I believe I sent in most letters if he was out. Maybe that's why they sent the letter home. He hasn't been out in awhile, maybe I'll call the school to just check. Thanks!

Re: How many times has your kid been absent this year ?

My son had the flu so he was out 4 days with that and two days for vacation so six days in total. My daughter was only sick once, so she only had 3 absences this year.

Re: How many times has your kid been absent this year ?

1st grade - around 14 days, at least. I've never gotten a letter from the school.

6 days for Disney
5 days for a virus, she had a high fever for 8 straight days
The other days were legit sick days as needed

ETA - I've always called the school and sent in a note when she's been out and had a doctors note when she had the virus.

Message edited 5/26/2015 9:09:45 PM.

Re: How many times has your kid been absent this year ?

My 4th grade and 2nd grade DDs have zero absences and my pre-k DS had one.

This is the norm for my kids so we've never gotten a letter and I haven't heard of anyone else getting one either.

Re: How many times has your kid been absent this year ?

My pre schooler maybe 5 days.

My 2nd grader zero days. She hasn't been sick to.three-point.where shebang to miss school. She's gone home a few half days, but hasn't missed a full day

How many times has your kid been absent this year ?

DD was out for 6 days for vacation and maybe another 2 or 3 for doctors appointments, but those are excused because they initiated by the district.

Re: How many times has your kid been absent this year ?

My kids 2 and 0 this year- Second Grade.

With all of the changes coming down from the state, districts and teachers are required to pay more attention to attendance.

Just FYI: In middle school and high school your child CAN BE DENIED COURSE CREDIT (aka have to repeat the course/year) for too many unexcused absences. Every district has an attendance policy required by NYS.

In my work district, 18 absences w/o professional and verified medical documentation results in a Denied Credit due to Attendance.

I've reported 10 students/families for unexcused absences. If my teacher evaluation, and the ability to keep my job, is based on test scores, I need my students IN school. Damn right I'm reporting unexcused absences. Last week, one of my seniors (course required for graduation) and, her brother, a sophomore (he has the Global History Regents) were pulled out of classes for 6 days for a family cruise. Really?? It's May and they are in high school!! I informed the attendance clerk immediately and they were coded as unexcused. Not sure if the senior will graduate as it brings her right to the limit.

Message edited 5/26/2015 9:58:03 PM.

Re: How many times has your kid been absent this year ?

Around 15-17 times. I got the same letter after he was absent 5x for our Bermuda trip in September. I just read it as blah blah and chucked it. His teacher knew he was going to be absent. I think it was just a formality.

Message edited 5/27/2015 2:35:21 PM.

Re: How many times has your kid been absent this year ?

My son (sophmore) 1 day due to vacation - although they mark him absent A LOT more than that when he is pulled out for special education testing, etc. It bothers me that it's reflected on his report card. As far as I'm concerned, if he is in the building, he should not be marked absent for things he has no control over.

My 2nd grader has missed 2 days for illness, 1 for vacation.

Re: How many times has your kid been absent this year ?

My dd is in upk 5 days a week

She missed 15 days. All because she was sick.
She had pneumonia and was out 8 days for that, had sterpt 2x and than she had 3 bad stomach viruses this year!

What I don't get is the school gets upset when they are out too much yet they tell you not to bring them when they are sick.

Message edited 5/27/2015 12:09:12 AM.

Re: How many times has your kid been absent this year ?

Re: How many times has your kid been absent this year ?

Message edited 5/27/2015 8:04:10 AM.

Re: How many times has your kid been absent this year ?

Last year in 1st grade, my DS was absent 2 times.
This year in 2nd grade, he has none.

Re: How many times has your kid been absent this year ?

My son was not absent at all this year so far. He is in first. Last year in kindergarten I did pull him for 4 days for a trip to the Bahamas. I am not that thrilled with the idea of pulling my kids from school but I will do it for a special occasion. Generally though I think that you should only be absent if you are legitimately sick.

Re: How many times has your kid been absent this year ?

My DS had only one full day a sense and maybe 2-3 early pick ups. Then he had stitches and missed 3.5 days. We're also pulling him for 5 days in two weeks for Florida. So still under 10 for the year.

Re: How many times has your kid been absent this year ?

Re: How many times has your kid been absent this year ?

I want to say 4 times. DS goes to a pre-k program. A few times I had to pick him up because the Nurse calls even if he has a cold/cough (which is kind of annoying).

Re: How many times has your kid been absent this year ?

Message edited 5/27/2015 9:46:59 AM.

Re: How many times has your kid been absent this year ?

Message edited 5/27/2015 10:25:56 AM.

Re: How many times has your kid been absent this year ?

DS is in Kindergarten and he only missed 1 day this year. School is a priority. I only keep him home if he's too sick to attend or for a family emergency. Other than that, he goes. I plan my vacations for when school is on break or not in session.

Message edited 5/27/2015 11:04:51 AM.

How many times has your kid been absent this year ?

JennP is absolutely right. Education has to be the priority. It sets the foundation for the rest of the kids' lives.

I used to pull my kids out for family trips, especially when they were younger, but once they were in high school I could clearly see how not being in school hurt them because the courses moved along so quickly.

Missing a series of classes put them way behind and made catching up with all the work they'd missed, plus keeping up with their daily work, extremely difficult. Their grades went down even though they were good students - and their stress levels went way up as they had to study late into the night to catch up. High school was challenging enough that losing some days to being sick during the year made catching up a chore. Both kids were in AP courses and loved them.

I stopped allowing family trips in 11th and 12th grade as their grades would have taken a hit and affected college applications. DH grumbled, but went along with me.

DS later told us, to our dismay, how badly set back he had been in 10th grade by a week long hunting trip in October with his dad. He loved being with his father, but regretted going on it academically, especially as he came back sick which kept him out even longer.

Message edited 5/27/2015 11:52:14 AM.