ammendment to my post: In my frustration I did not state clearly that if you miss more than three days in semester and don't have straight A's then you have to take semester tests and you can't go on the exemption trip. It is an incentive for the kids to be at school. My frustration is just because I love my wonderful daughter and I don't want her to be punished because I decided to take her out of school for vacation, and a think 3 days a semester is a little tough for the guidelines for exemption.
What's the biggest difference between Elementary School and Middle School? The Attendance Policy!
I am blessed with an intelligent child who so far has not struggled in any subject, and seems to just to take school in stride. I know they have to have attendance policies, I really understand that. But I am sitting at home today with a sick child trying to decide if I should send her to school anyway because this will be her last absence if she wants to be exempt from semester tests and get to go on the trips. She missed the other two days because we decided to pull her out for vacation. (insert visions of me stabbing myself in the heart with a knife). I shouldn't have this much angst over 3 days of 6th grade!! Do you remember any certain three days of middle school?
She has all A's, she never gets in trouble, she is a fly under the radar kinda girl (knock wood). Should she be punished because of me? And why three absences? Why not four, two in each quarter, is that too much to ask? Anyway...she's staying home in hopes of getting to perform tonight in the school musical. So I guess we just pray that we get through the next 41/2 weeks without any other absences. Rules are Rules--we knew them going in--we knew the risks of missing for vacation--blah,blah, blah,---It still sucks!
its hard isn't it, schools here now don't allow vacations during term times...i used to be able to explain and they would okay it, not any more....Deions school are great as he has alot of appointments, but it will be very different when he goes up to secondary in sept....i feel for you and i wish you all a healthy 4 and a half weeks...fingers crossed!
ReplyDeletewow we have an attendance policy but its not that strict....thank goodness or my son who also gets really good grades would be in trouble as he gets sick easily and missed a few days during the winter time and then some when we went to Texas. I hope it all works out for you guys that doesn't seem right. It doesn't even matter if they were excused by you????
ReplyDeleteWow! I have never heard of an attendance policy that strict. Even teachers get more sick days than that. Most districts give teachers 10-12 sick days a year and 2 or 3 personal days. If the teachers can miss more than the kids, there is a problem. What happens if a child has an operation and is in the hospital or gets influenza and has to miss a week?
ReplyDeleteTo answer those who asked, there are NO excused absences with regard to these exemption trips. It doesn't matter the reason, parent excused, hospitalization, etc. More than three absences and no matter your grade, you are not exempt from the tests.
ReplyDeleteLori, I have joked in the past that Brayden would carry her severed head to school in a bag before she would be absent and risk missing the field trips. I'm only half kidding. She came home sick one day last month and was crying over it ... then told me she regretted going to the nurse for aspirin, where they discovered a slight fever and sent her home. Now that's bad when even the kid is willing to risk infecting their entire grade just to avoid missing!!!
I understand its impossible for them to make exceptions, because if you excuse this one how do you not excuse the next one ..... but still. It makes it so hard on all of us!!
oh I feel your pain- boy do I. We are at 3 absences too in 1 class and 2 in all the others.
ReplyDeleteHope Jenna is on the mend and can make it tomorrow!(and the musical!)
Maybe we need to develop own our reward for good grades and behavior for those(our daughters) who might have to take the tests just because of absences. I'm thinking a girls trip to Dallas. Sam Moon here we come.
ReplyDeleteWow Lori, I haven't dealt with our Middle school in a few years. But down here in TX parents have what are referred to as Personal days, such as your vacation time! You are given 3 per year. Have never heard of being exempt from testing if you are not absent. Our district is very strict about the greater than 99.9 fever policy!!
ReplyDeleteSeems we as parents can't win! There is always something with the school that is going to drive us nuts!
Like the new background!!!
ReplyDelete