Attendance - excused absences

[Anonymous]

My DC has unfortunately been sick twice so far this school year - once with COVID and now with the flu. Plus we had second day RH (Rosh Hashana). I sent a note to the attendance secretary for each absence, but they're still listed as unexcused.

What is the best way to resolve? Email doesn't seem to be working. Is it more common to call? Walk in? I'm just confused.

[Anonymous]

I would email the assistant principal and ask for their help.

[Anonymous]

What does it matter? Attendance means nothing

[Anonymous]

Call them!

[Anonymous]

This has happened to us every year and as long as you don't have 15 and the teachers are okay allowing the make up work I don't make a big deal out of it.

[Anonymous]

Email the attendance secretary. Probably just an oversight.

[Anonymous]

Same happened to us! Emailed the attendance secretary and it has not been changed.

[Anonymous]

Attendance tracking has been abysmal at our high school. Instead of excusing absences, my child’s absence was changed to present. Flagged it to administrators who never fixed the record.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My DC has unfortunately been sick twice so far this school year - once with COVID and now with the flu. Plus we had second day RH (Rosh Hashana). I sent a note to the attendance secretary for each absence, but they're still listed as unexcused.

What is the best way to resolve? Email doesn't seem to be working. Is it more common to call? Walk in? I'm just confused.

Eastern? No attendance secretary until this week.

[Anonymous]

Yes, Eastern! (How did you guess?) So I've just been emailing this inbox that's not being checked? Sigh.

[Anonymous]

It. Doesn't. Matter.

[Anonymous]

We even once got this very formal letter home that our child was at risk of failing due to unexcused absences (all AP exams + a field trip). The school said to just ignore it. She graduated.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It. Doesn't. Matter.

In many cases, yes, but some teachers follow the grading policy that allows a zero to be assigned if the absence is unexcued. Otherwise, a student could skip school on the day of a major exam, get extra time to prepare, and find out from their friends what was on the exam.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Same happened to us! Emailed the attendance secretary and it has not been changed.

That would require effort from them and they're busy so stop bugging them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes, Eastern! (How did you guess?) So I've just been emailing this inbox that's not being checked? Sigh.

I teach there. I think I get 2-3 emails a week from parents who are frustrated with attendance record errors. The new hire should be able to fix things. Email her today.