My DD school vent am I wrong?

[Jasminesmommy]

WE just got back from WDW this week.I recieved a voice message monday from the schools socialworker saying we need to set up an appointment to talk abpout my daughters attendence. Now the week she started I sent a note to her teacher and went to the office in person to let them know we were going on Vacation and it was approved I left a message telling them I will not be going to any meeting since we had this approved and she wasn't just staying home. She hasn't missed any other days either and won't unless she is sick and contagious. Today they call my husband at work and he tells them the same thing and if they really want a meeting they have to set it up at night after 7pm because he is not missing any pay for excused days. They already know why she missed and won't miss again. Is this school being dumb or am I?

 

[Kimberle]

This Social Worker is out of line.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

What the HECK??? What does your principal say?

 

[KarenC]

I believe with No Child Left Behind, schools' federal funding is dependent, in part, on attendance figures. If your school has attendance problems, in general, they may be taking a hard line on any absences.

 

[aimee11621]

I'm pulling mine out of school for three day on 10/6 . We are taking our first family trip in years.

I know its vegas and kids don't need to go to vegas. BUT, we are flying in (like everyone else) she hasn't been on an airplane ever. We will be hotel hopig and dining and walking. Seeing the sights.

I hope I don't get any crap like you did. Sometimes its more difficult to go on a trip during summer or spring breaks $$$$

I feel really guilty about pulling her out of school can't you tell.

 

[bananiem]

At our old school it stated in the district handbook that after 10 absences, either excused or not, a letter would be sent home. After 12 absences a conference would be required by the school social worker and principal.
The school we just moved to changed their absentee policy after school started. They used to allow absences for vacations and sports (regional figure skating competition comes to mind) to be excused. They won't any more.
Chances are that this is something the school board has to require because of absences being tied to state funding or NCLB.

 

[stacilee]

They are.

Print out a copy of this and take it to her. I would like to see her face after she reads it.

http://www.themouseforless.com/SchoolExcuse/SE1.shtml

I get so tired of the schools trying to tell me how to raise my kids.
I help out a lot in all my kids schools and have had this experience in all levels from K-12.

* NOTE- I am not trying to offend any teachers here. I am merely describing what goes on in the classrooms of MY children's public schools. (Big schools, big classes, underfunded- not great parent involvement)

I SEE how much "actual instructional time" takes place every day.
In a 50 minute class they spend 5 minutes arriving from another classroom, 5 minutes settling down, 5 minutes finding all their things, 5 minutes getting down to business. During this time several children may ask to use the bathroom, go back to another room to get something they forgot, need to borrow supplies from the teacher, and during this time she is answering questions, mediating disagreements, grading papers, using her computer, replying to inquiries over the PA system.... the teacher then spends 5 minutes explaining what they are going to do today in class. MAYBE 10 minutes of "teaching" takes place. We are now at the 35 minute mark. they have 10 minutes to work quietly. She then gives them the 5 minute warning to finish up, hand in their work and get packed up to change classes again.
I am not kidding. My kids are lucky to be "smart" because they don't get all that much instruction at school.

 

[Jasminesmommy]

She is actually talking to the principal now saying we won't come. I understand they get money based on attendence but this is a different situation.I am not a parent who is too lazy to get up. She's always up ontime and at school. They told me to go have fun they didn't say by the way be prepared for a meeting we could of had it that day. They can give the attendence is inportant speech on the phone I will not be nice if I have to go. My daugter is a staright A student granted its only first grade. Thay wanted her in a gifted school and silly me put her in normal public.

 

[Microcell]

How many days was it? I know my school gets crazy after 8 in a semester. If she missed five or something they may want to meet to tell you she is close to the limit for the semester.

When my DD was in Kindergarten she missed 10 days for her appendix surgery and I called and told them I promised my very sick little girl her Disney trip (where four more days would be missed) and would that be a problem. Her teacher said she was not on the list of "at risk" kids so she should be fine. I called the attendence secretary to be sure and she said "Have a great time!" Of course it was only kindergarten, so I was going to take her anyway. Her teacher only voiced concerns that her enrollment may be dropped in which case she would have to be re-enrolled. That did not happen. I don't know exactly what that means anyway!

 

[Toby'sFriend]

Do you have a written note from the a school official excusing the absence? If so, take it to the meeting.

We are very close to the Indiana Border and I have friends with children in Indiana schools. I can tell you that Indiana Compulsory attendance laws only recognize illness and death of a family members as legitimate excuses, but it does also give the school administration the power to excuse other reasons as they deem fit.

I personally would not blow off the Social Worker. She could very well be following the policy mandated by legal authorities. If ignored, her next mandated step might be to turn you over to the local Family Court. I'm not kidding. Take care of it now.

Welcome to education in the Year 2004.

 

[Jasminesmommy]

She was out a total of 6 days one of those days was because of the huricane we got stranded. I sent that letter from the Mouseforless when I got her "Excused" my son goes to KG in the same township and we don't have this problem with him.

 

[nowellsl]

When you say it was approved - who was it approved by?

 

[piratesmate]

Originally posted by KarenC
I believe with No Child Left Behind, schools' federal funding is dependent, in part, on attendance figures. If your school has attendance problems, in general, they may be taking a hard line on any absences.

But if that's the case, they should have denied the absence in the first place.

You know it's possible that this is a matter of the left hand not knowing what the right is doing. The social worker may have reviewed the records, seen the absences & placed the call - without checking for pre-approval. I would think that the records should have been marked, but maybe that hadn't been done yet. Just a thought.

 

[KarenC]

Originally posted by Jasminesmommy
She is actually talking to the principal now saying we won't come. I understand they get money based on attendence but this is a different situation.I am not a parent who is too lazy to get up. She's always up ontime and at school.

Unfortunately, NCLB does not differentiate between missed school days by kids who can handle the absence versus missed school days by those who can't. It's all a numbers game. And IMHO, not a very meaningful numbers game, at that. If the school didn't have a process to deal with absences, and the school lost funding, you can bet the taxpayers would be up in arms if they were asked to make up the difference.

I took my daughter out for WDW vacations twice when she was in first grade and nobody said a word to me. I think that, at that age, quality family time is every bit as valuable as what they learn in the classroom. You'll figure out soon enough when she'll be hurt by missing school.

I can understand your frustration, but NCLB has put the schools in a position they probably don't want to be in either.

 

[leighe]

Originally posted by Toby'sFriend

I personally would not blow off the Social Worker. She could very well be following the policy mandated by legal authorities. If ignored, her next mandated step might be to turn you over to the local Family Court. I'm not kidding. Take care of it now.

Welcome to education in the Year 2004.

Exactly! I am a teacher (home with the flu today ) and you would not believe the amount of paperwork schools, teachers, counselors, administrators are REQUIRED by law to keep and update. It is probably part of an attendance policy. I was required to report a death threat (which was in reality two 14 year old "best friends" being mad at each other over a boy for maybe 1 day) simply because one of the girls told me that the other had said she was going to kill her. I knew it was silly, both of the girls knew it was silly and they had over-reacted, there was absolutely no chance that anybody was going to get killed - or even hurt. I still had to file an official report with a counselor and then give a written statement of what the girls had told me, then they had to give written statements, then witnesses had to give written statements, then the counselor had to write down what she had written down . . . I'm sure you get my point. Anyway, I had to attend 3 seperate meetings for this "death threat."

BTW, schools are not trying to tell people how to raise their kids but there have to be policies and procedures in place when you are responsible for knowing where 1500 kids are every minute of the day. If everybody gets exceptions, chaos reigns.

 

[amid chaos]

My husband is in the hospitality business. It is impossible for him to travel during the summer months or vacations...after all, those are his busy times.
We have never given it a second thought and have taken the children out of school several times.
In addition, right now and for several more years, all three of my children have a DIFFERENT school vacation.

-family time together is at a minimum due to my husbands hours.
-family time together for a few days is more important than a few days of school.


Those are my 2 cents..don't let the school bully you into regreting your wonderful vacation.

 

[phamton]

I did a search on Indiana school attendance law.

Family Travel of Short Duration - Vacations are not a legitimate absence recognized by Indiana State Law. If it is necessary for students to be absent from school for a family vacation, only five (5) days per school year will be excused. Students who are out of town or on vacations for more than five school days per school year will have each day in excess of the five unexcused days be counted as an unexcused absence. (See "Consequences for Unexcused Absences" below)

UNACCEPTABLE REASONS FOR ABSENCE

The following are considered unexcused absences from school:


Truancy - Truancy is defined as being absent from school with neither the school’s nor the parent’s permission or knowledge or in defiance of parental authority.


Exceeding Five Out-of-town or Vacation Days per School Year - Each day in excess of five vacation days per school year will be counted as an unexcused absence.


Family Related Absences - Activities such as house chores, babysitting, shopping, or visiting relatives should be done on non-school time.


Attending Non-school and non-educational Functions During School Hours


Oversleeping or Catching up on Sleep - It is the parent’s responsibility to assure the child is put to bed early enough to assure proper rest.


Inclement Weather when School is in Session


All Other Absences not Specifically Exempt under Indiana Law, Regardless of Parental Approval


CONSEQUENCES FOR UNEXCUSED ABSENCES

Students will be required to make up the work missed but will not receive credit for the make-up work. Students who have any unexcused absences may also be required to make up the time during their recess, tutoring sessions, after school detentions or summer school, at the school’s discretion.

In addition, unexcused absences may result in corrective action being initiated by the attendance officer. This may include, but is not limited to:

* Issuing a legal notice requiring the student to attend every school day thereafter unless they have a legitimate excuse from a physician.

* Referring the child to the juvenile court as a delinquent.

* Referring the parent to the juvenile court or the child protection services due to educational neglect.

* Referring the parent to the prosecuting attorney’s office to file criminal charges for educational neglect.

A person who knowingly violates the compulsory attendance laws commits a Class B misdemeanor.


IC 20-8.1-3-33
Compulsory attendance; parent's responsibility
Sec. 33. Compulsory Attendance; Parent's Responsibility.
(a) It is unlawful for a parent to fail to ensure that his child attends school as required under this chapter.
(b) Before proceedings are instituted against a parent for a violation of this section, personal notice of the violation shall be served on the parent by the superintendent having jurisdiction over the public school.

IC 20-8.1-3-34
Compulsory attendance for full term; duty of parent
Sec. 34. Compulsory Attendance for Full Term; Duty of Parent. It is unlawful for a parent to fail, neglect or refuse to send his child to a public school for the full term as required under this chapter unless the child is being provided with instruction equivalent to that given in the public schools.

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My suggestion: Go to the meeting or there may be legal consequences. You or your husband may have to miss work for the meeting but go anyway. You missed 6 days of work for WDW so missing a few hours for a meeting will school officials would probably not be a legitimate excuse.

 

[momof2inPA]

From what I understand from the Indiana rules, 5 days would have been excused and one day unexcused. Big deal. I think the OP should call the principal and mention this on the phone. Why waste the OP's time and the Social Worker's time?

 

[gr8tpanther]

Since when does a school have a SOCIAL WORKER?

 

[Pete's Mom]

The teacher may have approved it, but it can still be marked down as unexcused absence. We are allowed 5 unexcused absences a year. After that, you may be called in for a conference. Maybe that's the case here.