now we need to do it more often

[kiwik]

I have managed to redistribute my hours so I no longer work Thursdays. So today I kept ds6 home from school. We baked and played in the morning and then in the afternoon we did history (reading plus project), maths and science reading. We also had visitors for afternoon tea but i didn't think they would be in to poetry.

 

I wonder if i could keep him home every second Thursday without having the truancy officer on my case.

[SKL]

That would definitely not go over well here, but I don't think you are in the USA - right?

 

In the USA they could fail your child for missing that many days.  And it has happened, even to advanced kids.

[SKL]

I remember asking my kids' teacher at open house if she would be OK with us missing a couple days for some planned international travel (which I promised would be educational :) ).  She was pretty adamant that missing even one day would be a problem.  However, she did say that it would be less of a problem during "short weeks" (when school was off one or two days), because they didn't follow the regular curriculum during those weeks.

[regentrude]

I remember asking my kids' teacher at open house if she would be OK with us missing a couple days for some planned international travel (which I promised would be educational :) ).  She was pretty adamant that missing even one day would be a problem.

 

You approached that in the wrong way. When my kids had to miss a week of school because of international travel, I sent a letter to the teachers and TOLD them that I was sorry my kids had to miss school, but that we had to travel during such-and-such time, and whether they would like send any work for us to make it up or what else we should do so the kids are not behind (not that there ever was a danger of that, but one does not want to seem arrogant).

 

Asking a teacher whether missing school is OK will almost never produce a resounding yes. Really, if you think about it, it can't - because it is basically saying what they are doing in school does not matter. (I can see the teacher's sentiment. It is like a student coming and asking me "did I miss anything in class today?". heck yes- what do you think we're doing, and why do you think I am working hard to teach you if I thought it was not necessary? Bugs me big time.)

But stating the inevitable and  asking for advice how to make it least disruptive is likely to be met with a more positive response.

[regentrude]

In the USA they could fail your child for missing that many days.  And it has happened, even to advanced kids.

 

The parents can, and likely will,  get in trouble for truancy, that is true - but how do you "fail" a six year old???

No public school is going to have a student repeat first grade who performs on grade level and just has missed school; they have enough trouble with the kids with issues.

 

Now for high school: yes, they can refuse to give you credit. But what can they be doing to a first grader?

[Garga]

So that's 16-18 missed days of school? That would be a big problem in my district.

[SKL]

But what can they be doing to a first grader?

 

I don't know, and I have no plans to find out.  :)  First grade was enough of a nightmare with us just taking 1 travel day and 3 flu days.  :P  I realize that is not everyone's experience.  ;)

 

[regentrude]

I don't know, and I have no plans to find out.  :)  First grade was enough of a nightmare with us just taking 1 travel day and 3 flu days.  :p  I realize that is not everyone's experience.  ;)

 

 

Well, you are sending your kids to a private school.  That is entirely different, as they are under no obligation to keep them. But the public school must take all students and can't kick them out. I bet your school could.

[SKL]

Well, you are sending your kids to a private school.  That is entirely different, as they are under no obligation to keep them. But the public school must take all students and can't kick them out. I bet your school could.

 

True.  I don't know if the public schools can flunk an elementary-school kid over attendance when the child is not behind in the important subjects.  It would be something to check into before deciding to pull the child out of school weekly.

 

I would also be concerned about the effect of possible teacher attitude on the child.  If the teacher is on board, great.  If not, then it could come back to hurt the child in many ways.  School days are long.

 

[Spy Car]

You'd have serious legal problems here. 

 

Bill

[FairProspects]

It would cause legal problems here too. After 5 absences districts lose their funding and you get a court summons.

[mathnerd]

It is possible to expel a child in my school district for absence of over a week (total number of days - sickness exempted with doctor's note). It is in the school district's policy and a printout handed to us and a powerpoint presentation made by the principal every single year. We would have had serious legal problems too (and phone calls from the school too before the legal problems started).

[Arcadia]

5 unexcused absence and a child would be deemed to have drop out by my district's policy. It is a common policy around here.

The state requires a truancy letter be sent after three unexcused absence (which can be three separate days).

[sewingmama]

Here in Australia it wouldn't be a problem. Maybe its because of where I live where they can barely get the kids to go to school more then 2-3 days a week anyway but if a parent showed up and told the teacher they were keeping their kid home once a week to actually spend time with them and teach them something the teacher would think they were an involved parent who cared about their kids education. :glare:

 

You cant be expelled here for missing school especially if you passed all the exams.

 

In fact when my brother was little his teacher one year told my mum she was better off keeping him at home because he was so smart there was nothing new she was going to teach him that year anyway :glare:

 

If it were me I'd just do it...if it becomes a problem the school will let you know. In Australia they would never flunk your child without lots of advance warning and even then it's debateable...I know tons of failing kids who get graded up every year I don't know a single kid who has been kept back for failing (or staying home a lot).

 

I sent my oldest two kids to public kindy. It was a 5 day a week kindy. I just rocked up, enrolled them and told them I was only sending them 2 days a week for "socialisation" :lol:  They didn't have a problem with it and at the end of the year the teacher praised me on how wonderfully educated my kids where as they were the ONLY kids in the class who could read and write by the end of the year (to be fair it was a play based kindy).  but my kids were leaps and bounds ahead of the kids who went for 5 days a week. I do acknowledge you probably couldn't do this in elementary school though. 

 

Find out what the policy for missed days are at your school and do it if you think you can get away with it. LOL :laugh:

[kiwik]

I'm in NZ. It won't affect their funding and they can't fail him. Even if they could he is working a year or two ahead anyway. I never explain why my child isn't at school unless I pick him up part way through the day (I would inform them if he had something he may have given to other kids). My feeling is I could get away with 3 or 4 absences in a 10 week term but having them all on Thursdays would be a bit dodgy.

 

It is funny though to me an unexplained absence is one without the parent explaining. To me if I text as will not be at school today that is explained.

 

They could take me to court but it would be a long process so I would have plenty of time to apologise and mend my ways. Generally a child has to commit acts of violence against a teacher to get expelled and even then the school may be instructed to re-enrol them. Not that I would let relations get bad enough that my son would suffer - I am quite prepared to be apologetic and amenable when required.

 

It was a nice day though.

[Nart]

When I don't work and wanted to take my son out of kindergarten at a public school, I made a dentist appt., eye exam, dr. appt. first thing in the morning and would tell the office to give us one of the pre-printed notes that says my son was seen at their office that day. Then we had the rest of the day free with proof of an excused absence. I work for a school district in California. It really depends on the school and district how they deal with absences. The official policy is after 10 consecutive days of unexcused absences (either not calling in or taking a vacation), the child gets dropped from the school and their space can be given away to another child trying to enroll. I have worked at schools were some students routinely have over 20 absences a year due to issues of poverty. The car broke down, lice that is difficult to treat, it is raining and the parent doesn't want to walk the kids to school or the kids don't have jackets, etc. Last year a first grade teacher told me her best student missed 28 days of school because her mom had a premature baby, the family didn't have a car, and the mom didn't want to take the baby out on any cold rainy day. No one did anything about it. 

On the other hand, my son attends a magnet school and got in via a lottery. There are over a 100 kids on a waiting list. If you have too many absence, you can get kicked out back to your neighborhood school. In my experience working at several schools, this happens more frequently if your child is deemed a behavior problem or low academically.

[renmew]

I am so glad I teach at a private school. Since the tuition is paid no matter how many days you attend, I don't have to harass parents about their students' attendance.  Any kind of travel for kids is an awesome experience, so I encourage it. I send work for travel time and ask students to keep a journal for the longer trips. Oh, and I also "require" a postcard. I have a collection now from all over the world!

 

When it comes down to it, education comes from a lot of different places, not just from me, the teacher.

[kiwik]

I don't think in this country being a private school trumps the education act requiring kids to be at school from 6 to 16 though you would have more flexibility.

[kiwik]

And be careful what you wish for. Ds6 has suspected whooping cough so we have to stay home until the test results come in if they are negative or for the whole week if it is positive. I will start the medications anyway. Today (Monday) we are doing nothing because neither of us slept much. Tomorrow we will work and wed morning. Hopefully i can work wed pm, Thurs and Fri because otherwise it will be a financial disiaster.

[jennynd]

DS took about 10 days off went back to my home country with me. His teacher actually was VERY supportive and said she think the family is very much more important. That was in public school. When he was in private school. I don't even think teacher cared. We took as many days as we pleased.

[Uff Da!]

And be careful what you wish for. Ds6 has suspected whooping cough so we have to stay home until the test results come in if they are negative or for the whole week if it is positive. I will start the medications anyway. Today (Monday) we are doing nothing because neither of us slept much. Tomorrow we will work and wed morning. Hopefully i can work wed pm, Thurs and Fri because otherwise it will be a financial disiaster.

 

 

Oh no!  Hopefully he'll get better soon.  At least you have plenty for him to do at home.....