Perfect Attendance awards

[Anonymous]

Perfect Attendance awards ...

Do you like Perfect Attendance awards? I noticed they teach you young, that you shouldn't miss school and later on it will transfer to not missing work.... What's the point of perfect attendance awards? Why can't we teach kids young that is okay to take a day off?

[Anonymous]

I got a perfect attendance award every year from K to 11th grade. I went to Senior Skip Day in 12th so didn’t get one. I also never missed a class in college and have barely ever missed a day of work in the last 25 years. I rarely get sick and I hate getting behind in things.

It’s not for everyone, but it’s nice to be recognized for being a steady person who can always shows up.

[Anonymous]

No, I feel they encourage parents to send kids to school sick, and teach kids not to take care of themselves; they teach that academics is more important than literally everything else in life. On the flip side, for some kids once you miss one day, that false incentive is gone, so why bother caring about attendance?

I don't get whey such a thing ever started.

[Anonymous]

It's completely stupid, especially in times of Covid.

My kids don't miss many days of school (maybe two or three a year), but those days are important: usually it's when my son has a food challenge that starts at 8:30 and ends at 2pm, to test his nut allergies. And for my daughter it's when she needs the day off to rehearse for competitions in her chosen hobby. Which paid off last week, because she has been invited to play at Carnegie Hall.

[Anonymous]

I associate those awards with kids in schools with lowest performing students/low income schools. Saddest (ridiculous) "award."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's completely stupid, especially in times of Covid.

My kids don't miss many days of school (maybe two or three a year), but those days are important: usually it's when my son has a food challenge that starts at 8:30 and ends at 2pm, to test his nut allergies. And for my daughter it's when she needs the day off to rehearse for competitions in her chosen hobby. Which paid off last week, because she has been invited to play at Carnegie Hall.

But, why do you care if other kids are recognized for it? My kid is terrible at art, but other kids win awards. My neighbor’s kid is a little shit, but some kids get a good citizens award.

[Anonymous]

When I worked at a low(ish) income school, we had a no UNEXCUSED absences attendance award. I liked that. Allows for absences due to sickness, needing an occasional day off (so long as parent called in), etc. The perfect attendance award for all absences is just stupid to me though. Especially in the age of covid...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's completely stupid, especially in times of Covid.

My kids don't miss many days of school (maybe two or three a year), but those days are important: usually it's when my son has a food challenge that starts at 8:30 and ends at 2pm, to test his nut allergies. And for my daughter it's when she needs the day off to rehearse for competitions in her chosen hobby. Which paid off last week, because she has been invited to play at Carnegie Hall.

But, why do you care if other kids are recognized for it? My kid is terrible at art, but other kids win awards. My neighbor’s kid is a little shit, but some kids get a good citizens award.

Isn't it obvious? It's because some families will send their kids to school sick in the hope they can go the entire year without missing one day of school, which means they'll infect others.

And if you're in a pandemic, that's really scraping the bottom of the barrel of stupid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I associate those awards with kids in schools with lowest performing students/low income schools. Saddest (ridiculous) "award."

I’m the PP from above. I went to an Ivy and have a PhD. I also played 3 Varsity sports in HS and was captain of each team. I won plenty of other awards, but I was actually pretty proud of that one. Very few kids besides me cared or noticed that I won it. I doubt it was encouraging others to try for perfect attendance.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:When I worked at a low(ish) income school, we had a no UNEXCUSED absences attendance award. I liked that. Allows for absences due to sickness, needing an occasional day off (so long as parent called in), etc. The perfect attendance award for all absences is just stupid to me though. Especially in the age of covid...

Seems more reasonable, but really, it's just one more completely useless award.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's completely stupid, especially in times of Covid.

My kids don't miss many days of school (maybe two or three a year), but those days are important: usually it's when my son has a food challenge that starts at 8:30 and ends at 2pm, to test his nut allergies. And for my daughter it's when she needs the day off to rehearse for competitions in her chosen hobby. Which paid off last week, because she has been invited to play at Carnegie Hall.

But, why do you care if other kids are recognized for it? My kid is terrible at art, but other kids win awards. My neighbor’s kid is a little shit, but some kids get a good citizens award.

Isn't it obvious? It's because some families will send their kids to school sick in the hope they can go the entire year without missing one day of school, which means they'll infect others.

And if you're in a pandemic, that's really scraping the bottom of the barrel of stupid.

My kid hasn’t missed a day of school yet this year. He also hasn’t gotten Covid. He isn’t trying to win an award. He just doesn’t get sick very often.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I associate those awards with kids in schools with lowest performing students/low income schools. Saddest (ridiculous) "award."

I’m the PP from above. I went to an Ivy and have a PhD. I also played 3 Varsity sports in HS and was captain of each team. I won plenty of other awards, but I was actually pretty proud of that one. Very few kids besides me cared or noticed that I won it. I doubt it was encouraging others to try for perfect attendance.

Cringe response on so many levels. A number of people on DCUM have had very successful paths, and couldn't have cared less about perfect attendance. You just come off like a hyper-competitive award-glutton.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's completely stupid, especially in times of Covid.

My kids don't miss many days of school (maybe two or three a year), but those days are important: usually it's when my son has a food challenge that starts at 8:30 and ends at 2pm, to test his nut allergies. And for my daughter it's when she needs the day off to rehearse for competitions in her chosen hobby. Which paid off last week, because she has been invited to play at Carnegie Hall.

But, why do you care if other kids are recognized for it? My kid is terrible at art, but other kids win awards. My neighbor’s kid is a little shit, but some kids get a good citizens award.

Isn't it obvious? It's because some families will send their kids to school sick in the hope they can go the entire year without missing one day of school, which means they'll infect others.

And if you're in a pandemic, that's really scraping the bottom of the barrel of stupid.

My kid hasn’t missed a day of school yet this year. He also hasn’t gotten Covid. He isn’t trying to win an award. He just doesn’t get sick very often.

And that's just luck of the draw. So it does not merit a certificate.

[Anonymous]

Perhaps students should receive a set amount of sick days and floating holidays every year that don't count against attendance. This might encourage parents to keep kids home when sick.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's completely stupid, especially in times of Covid.

My kids don't miss many days of school (maybe two or three a year), but those days are important: usually it's when my son has a food challenge that starts at 8:30 and ends at 2pm, to test his nut allergies. And for my daughter it's when she needs the day off to rehearse for competitions in her chosen hobby. Which paid off last week, because she has been invited to play at Carnegie Hall.

But, why do you care if other kids are recognized for it? My kid is terrible at art, but other kids win awards. My neighbor’s kid is a little shit, but some kids get a good citizens award.

Isn't it obvious? It's because some families will send their kids to school sick in the hope they can go the entire year without missing one day of school, which means they'll infect others.

And if you're in a pandemic, that's really scraping the bottom of the barrel of stupid.

My kid hasn’t missed a day of school yet this year. He also hasn’t gotten Covid. He isn’t trying to win an award. He just doesn’t get sick very often.

And that's just luck of the draw. So it does not merit a certificate.

I guess so but plenty of his friends have missed school not for illnesses but for vacations or travel. I don’t see why the school can’t reward kids who actually show up and families who prioritize school over other things. Of course kids get sick, but lots actually don’t.