Nasty School Letter

[2forMe]

My son, then 14, suffered a severe head injury at a school event. He missed 4 days of school, and then a week of half days. (We were blessed by a miracle recovery). He had to serve 6 Saturday schools for absentism while in the hospital.

Wow that is just ridiculous.. I guess I am lucky because in Canada I have never heard of such things!!

 

[labst60]

Wow that is just ridiculous.. I guess I am lucky because in Canada I have never heard of such things!!

This reminds me of the time when I was in 9th grade an had suffered from a serious illness (rushed to hospital, not sure if I was goign to make it, intensive care for a week, off school for another 10 days after that - I was BEGGING to go back to my mom/doctor finally agreed to let me start going 1/2 days for the next while until I was fully recovered.)

It was well-known I was really sick/in the hospital throughout the small school - my parents contacted the school- got my work - classes sent get-well cards, etc. I had always been an A student and enjoyed school and really wanted to get back....

Anyway... come 1/2way through the marking period, one of my teachers (who later became princpal of the school after I graduated) send home a mid-term report to my parents indicating that my grade may suffer from my "poor attendance" this markign period. Needless to say, my parents were LIVID. They called him on it and he gave some story that he just wanted them to be aware of how many days I had missed - of course they were aware - they were at my bedside the entire time!!!! Of course, this was before "no child left behind", but my mom basically said - I have all of her test/quiz/homework scores - and if her grade doesn't reflect those, I will be goign to the school board - of course, at that point, it never came to that.

But my poor mom - just happy at that point to have me alive and unharmed from this incident (I coudl have suffered serious brain damage), fighting with her to GO BACK TO SCHOOL and teachers are sending her crap like that to deal with! And he was the future administration of the school. :-(

 

[Doc CW]

Thats crazy! I have missed my fair share of days at school and I never heard of any of this. Those are some crazy schools, let them tell me my kid (when I have them) cant miss school to spend time with their family just for money! This kinda stuff gets me all fired up.

 

[Nancyg56]

I think that sounds good, in theory. It would certainly make it easier on families like mine, who have work obligations that prevent vacationing during the summer. If we want to travel on a school break, it can only be during the super-crazy-busy Christmas or Easter break, and even then it can't be the 10 day trips we take in the fall because we wouldn't dream of being away from the extended family for the actual holiday. But that requires a major shift in the way we regard school, and I don't see that coming any time soon. Applying a little common sense to absence policies, on the other hand, wouldn't involve nearly the same logstical challenges.

I agree that a major shift would be required but I can't see the kind of downside that would have occurred years ago. We are a society two income families and child care is an issue for the three month break. It is not always possible for most families to vacation during scheduled school breaks, ask anyone on the low end of the seniority list. Every break is taken up, leaving many to either take their children out of school or forgo extended vacations.

I know that this change will not occur in the near future but I think it is worth thinking about.

 

[Starr W.]

I agree that a major shift would be required but I can't see the kind of downside that would have occurred years ago. We are a society two income families and child care is an issue for the three month break. It is not always possible for most families to vacation during scheduled school breaks, ask anyone on the low end of the seniority list. Every break is taken up, leaving many to either take their children out of school or forgo extended vacations.

I know that this change will not occur in the near future but I think it is worth thinking about.

I know our district would like to go to an "extended" year(start about 2 weeks early, have a fall break in Oct, and get 2 weeks off in the spring) but the teachers' and principals are against it.

 

[almburr]

Here when you take kids out of school for a vacation, It happens alot. Maily because we are a farm town so we really dont travel in the summer. kids are pulled out for big trips 10 days or so.

The school is told, teachers are told and the kids get the homework before they leave. The thing is all home work must be turned in before they leave, or it will be a zero.

Another thing about our school is we only have a 4 day week, no Fridays!

 

[Katnmouse]

I am a teacher in the public school system. I am absolutely appalled by the negativity toward teachers and principals. We are just cogs....we are not making these rules or passing these laws.

The stringent rules regarding attendance are largely an issue of the federal mandates for schools across the country to meet the ever increasing and ultimately unattainable benchmarks of NCLB. Yes, individual school districts can and will define the attendance issues as they see fit, and they do so in the best interest of the school system. The financial survival of schools is directly linked to the state tests that each and every child is eventually going to experience. Missed days of instruction have the potential to negatively impact a child's performance on their state test. Yes, I know, in the grand scheme of things one missed week should not make that kind of impact...but the schools cannot rely on parents or students to fill in the gaps they missed. The schools, teachers, administrators and eventually the state will get slapped for poor performances and school personel (read that teachers and principals) are at risk of losing their jobs if test scores are not good enough. The bottom line is that they are not trying to deny you and your family a vacation, they are trying to do what they can to protect the school. Yes, that is unfortunate but you can directly place blame on the federal government who has put palpable fear into the public schools systems.

Please don't bash the teachers and principals who are constantly trying to jump through governmental hoops likes dogs at a dog show all the while being booed by the public.

Kat

 

[IlovemythreeC's]

I value our educators and thank God for them. Yet, we live in a free society where parents make the decisions for their children.

My son has missed several days of school to go to Disney World throughout the years. I have not spent one moment in regret regarding this decision. We certainly believe in and support education, however the bonding and memories that my family has shared will last a lifetime and will have countless positive effects on my children These few missed days of school have not had a negative impact on my child's performance on any standardized test. We are also fortunate in that my son's teachers have always been very happy for him that he has gotten the opportunity to go!

 

[Nancyg56]

I am a teacher in the public school system. I am absolutely appalled by the negativity toward teachers and principals. We are just cogs....we are not making these rules or passing these laws.


Please don't bash the teachers and principals who are constantly trying to jump through governmental hoops likes dogs at a dog show all the while being booed by the public.

Kat

I apologize.
My niece is a teacher and her private opinions are not always reflected when she follows the policy of her school district. I do think that part of the problem is that each district does implement their policy and it sometimes seem as though there is a wide range of interpretations throughout each state, never mind throughout the country, many time with no explanations why the policy is in place. This leaves parents wondering why a friend can take children out of school in March and they cannot.

 

[momto2girls]

Yet, we live in a free society where parents make the decisions for their children.

Sadly, it doesn't feel like this is the case sometimes.

I homeschool for many, many reasons, but this is definitely one of my issues with public schools. I don't know if I will homeschool forever, but I do know that I will send my children to private school if we go that route.

 

[hollyb]

I am a teacher in the public school system. I am absolutely appalled by the negativity toward teachers and principals. We are just cogs....we are not making these rules or passing these laws.

The stringent rules regarding attendance are largely an issue of the federal mandates for schools across the country to meet the ever increasing and ultimately unattainable benchmarks of NCLB. Yes, individual school districts can and will define the attendance issues as they see fit, and they do so in the best interest of the school system. The financial survival of schools is directly linked to the state tests that each and every child is eventually going to experience. Missed days of instruction have the potential to negatively impact a child's performance on their state test. Yes, I know, in the grand scheme of things one missed week should not make that kind of impact...but the schools cannot rely on parents or students to fill in the gaps they missed. The schools, teachers, administrators and eventually the state will get slapped for poor performances and school personel (read that teachers and principals) are at risk of losing their jobs if test scores are not good enough. The bottom line is that they are not trying to deny you and your family a vacation, they are trying to do what they can to protect the school. Yes, that is unfortunate but you can directly place blame on the federal government who has put palpable fear into the public schools systems.

Please don't bash the teachers and principals who are constantly trying to jump through governmental hoops likes dogs at a dog show all the while being booed by the public.

Kat

You will lose your job if my kids go on vacation? I hardly think so. As for jumping through governmental hoops, we didnt choose your profession you did. If you don't like quit. Plan and simple.

We are taking the kids out next month for Disney they will be out 7 days. I will tell them a week before we leave, wether they give homework out thats up to the teacher. We will not do it on vacation, yes it will get done when we get back.

 

[LauraAnn630]

I think if missing 1 week of school is going to effect my childs state testing score that much, someone is doing something very wrong.

They are doing to much to fast. I know a lot of the staff at my son school agrees.

I would like to think most parents make up all the class work that is missed.
So, why cant they rely on the parents and students?

When we recieved the class work that DS missed the first week of Jan, 2007 I was surprised to see how little it was. I even sent a note asking if we caught up on everything.


A bit off topic but...

Ya know what makes me mad? No one cares about holidays from other religions! Thats not fair.

 

[Colleen27]

I agree that a major shift would be required but I can't see the kind of downside that would have occurred years ago. We are a society two income families and child care is an issue for the three month break. It is not always possible for most families to vacation during scheduled school breaks, ask anyone on the low end of the seniority list. Every break is taken up, leaving many to either take their children out of school or forgo extended vacations.

I know that this change will not occur in the near future but I think it is worth thinking about.

The downside I've seen locally is that year round schooling is implemented piecemeal (one school in a district) or based on a shifting school year (different "tracks" that are off at different times) for some reason, and it is possible to have two children in the same district on different schedule. If it was done as a concerted, well thought out effort, though, that shouldn't be an issue.

I think the trend right now, here at least, is against it. My state just passed a law last year preventing public schools from starting before Labor Day, because the gradual shift to starting earlier and getting out earlier really messes up local tourism in northern states. Early June just isn't vacation weather yet, while late August is prime "up north" weather.

 

[Colleen27]

Ya know what makes me mad? No one cares about holidays from other religions! Thats not fair.

I know. One of DS's friends is Jewish, and that is something his mother and I have talked about on a couple occasions. They don't vacation during the school year because she feels the kids miss enough school already for the Jewish holidays. That has got to be very frustrating, both for the parents who have to be careful of other absences and for the kids who have to make up work they missed for religious observances.

 

[Katnmouse]

You will lose your job if my kids go on vacation? I hardly think so. As for jumping through governmental hoops, we didnt choose your profession you did. If you don't like quit. Plan and simple.
QUOTE]


WOW if you are going to flame me at least don't grossly misinterpret my statements and turn it into a personal attack!

I never said that I don't want you taking your kids on vacation. As a matter of fact I don't mind when children in my classroom have the opportunity to go somewhere during the school year. (I wish I could go too). I was simply trying to put some perspective on the reasons behind the (maybe) too stringent attendance policies, and the position the American schools are now finding themselves in.

I also never said that I will lose my job if your kids go on vacation. I said that educators are at risk of losing jobs due to low test scores and that missed days CAN negatively impact test performance. Is this a guaranteed outcome? NO. I never said that it was.

Thirdly, I fail to see how my request to end teacher bashing equates with disliking my job. I do realize and accept the fact that I must jump through governmental hoops. What I can't accept is that parents/public too often attack individual schools and educators for enforcing the "federal hoops" the government is putting around us.

I think that maybe a little pixie dust would do everyone some good right about now.

Kat

 

[perdidochas]

Hi,

We leave Tuesday for OKW

Anyway, I had to send a letter to the teachers letting them know the kids would be missing 7 1/2 days of school and I received a nasty-gram from the Principal for my 1st grader letting me know it's illegal to keep the kids out of school that long.

I guess in exchange for them overlooking it I am supposed to have them keep journals and such (which they do anyway).

These are days of high stakes education. Principals can lose their jobs if students perform poorly. Teachers can be transferred to other school if students perform poorly. School funding can be reduced if students perform poorly. The schools are just reacting to the politicians.

 

[Caleb's Mom]

School calendar does not match our annual calendar!

My DH must request his annual vacation by Feb. 1 each year. The school calendar for the fall is not yet out at that time. I personally do not like to or want to take my DS out of school to go on a vacation and really, truly wish the school calendar would come out in Jan. so most working parents who need to request vacation in advance could do so to match the school calendar. My DH made his October Disney vacation request based on prior years fall break weeks. If, for some reason, they change it this year and it does not match we will take DS out of school.

We'll get our fall 07 school calendar in May when school is out. Well, we need to plan our lives/schedules more than 3 months ahead of time. All we're asking for is some advance notice to we can plan ahead to NOT have to take our child out of school.

 

[ekball]

You will lose your job if my kids go on vacation? I hardly think so. As for jumping through governmental hoops, we didnt choose your profession you did. If you don't like quit. Plan and simple.
QUOTE]


WOW if you are going to flame me at least don't grossly misinterpret my statements and turn it into a personal attack!

I never said that I don't want you taking your kids on vacation. As a matter of fact I don't mind when children in my classroom have the opportunity to go somewhere during the school year. (I wish I could go too). I was simply trying to put some perspective on the reasons behind the (maybe) too stringent attendance policies, and the position the American schools are now finding themselves in.

I also never said that I will lose my job if your kids go on vacation. I said that educators are at risk of losing jobs due to low test scores and that missed days CAN negatively impact test performance. Is this a guaranteed outcome? NO. I never said that it was.

Thirdly, I fail to see how my request to end teacher bashing equates with disliking my job. I do realize and accept the fact that I must jump through governmental hoops. What I can't accept is that parents/public too often attack individual schools and educators for enforcing the "federal hoops" the government is putting around us.

I think that maybe a little pixie dust would do everyone some good right about now.

Kat

Way to rise above the muck Kat.

 

[mrsltg]

These are days of high stakes education. Principals can lose their jobs if students perform poorly. Teachers can be transferred to other school if students perform poorly. School funding can be reduced if students perform poorly. The schools are just reacting to the politicians.

And the politicians are reacting to years of underperforming schools and taxpayers who have not seen a return on their investment. People can bemoan NCLB all they want. However, they seem to forget the reasons the accountability standards were instituted in the first place - it's not because American schools are the gold standard in education.

 

[perdidochas]

And the politicians are reacting to years of underperforming schools and taxpayers who have not seen a return on their investment. People can bemoan NCLB all they want. However, they seem to forget the reasons the accountability standards were instituted in the first place - it's not because American schools are the gold standard in education.

I don't disagree. I just wanted to point out the reasons for the letter.