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Old October 25th 03, 08:09 AM
dragonlady
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Default Bright 2nd grader & school truancy / part-time home-school?

In article ,
cara wrote:

Vicki wrote:

Today we received a warning letter for truancy for our 2nd grader. The
principal said she was concerned about dd's absences. I am not concerned
about dd's absences--she is bright, she knows the material [she's missed
five days this month, but received 100 on her test for materials covered.]
I don't think the teacher is concerned. But the principal said dd is only
allowed 5 excused absences per semester.


I have no experience with this at all, but the implication of 'truancy' to me
means 'absences without parental knowledge or consent.' I guess I don't
understand why you can't keep your child home or out for family gatherings,
or
illness (even without doctors note! the vast majority of childhood illnesses
absolutely do not require a visit to the doctor) if YOU are the one
authorizing
it. I suppose I would take your particular case to the principal/teacher and
stipulate that as long as your daughter maintains a high standing in her
class
and requires minimal 'extra' effort to keep her caught up (ie: you as parents
are willing spend extra time to help catch her up in school work due to
missed
days) than you as responsible parents shouldn't worry so much about the hard
and
fast rule of 5 absences/semester, as long as it is within reason (a few day
here
or there, not going off to tahiti for a few weeks . Maybe once they
realize
your direct involvement in this, they won't be so anal about it.


This will vary from school to school, and from state to state, both in
how much leeway the teacher or principal has and in how willing they are
(if they DO have the leeway) to excuse absences. Some will accept
absolutely NO excuse but illness or family funeral, others will
negotiate for excused absences for family vacations or other reasons.

And, with funding being handled the way it is now, I sort of understand
their position when they do NOT excuse absences for anything but the
really necessary ones. Around here, at least, they only get money from
the state according to the number of bodies actually in school each day
-- but it actually takes MORE teacher time and energy (and sometimes
other staff as well) to give make up tests, arrange for additional
outside of class work to make up for what they miss in class, and all of
that stuff.

Man, reading a lot of these school issues - even/especially in the early
grades
- makes me nervous about my dd heading into the school system. Wow, times
have
changed, and I'm not sure its for the better .


With change always comes loss -- and gain. What's the old song? --
"something's lost and something's gained by living every day."

meh
--
Children won't care how much you know until they know how much you care