Attendance pressure

[Anonymous]

The messaging about the importance of attendance is getting more and more aggressive. And now also kind of racist.

"December Attendance
Every year, absences spike in the weeks before and after winter break. It’s time to break that cycle. Give your child the gift of attendance and help build a habit of attendance.

We recognize that holidays are an important time for reconnecting with families far away and exposing your children to your home and language, whether you grew up in another part of the United States or a different country. The price of plane tickets often influences when you want to travel. But keep in mind the costs to your children’s education if they miss too much school.

Make sure your child is in school every day, right up until vacation starts. Our teachers will be teaching, and our students will be learning. But it’s harder to teach and it’s harder to learn when too many students are absent.

Two weeks to go! Let's finish strong. Winter break is December 22nd through January 2nd. School resumes on January 5th, 2026."

[Anonymous]

Just ignore. I ignore it all. My kids take mental days off when they need to, which happens rarely. We hardly ever miss school for vacation.

[Anonymous]

I think the author of the message wanted to acknowledge the international families who miss their loved ones but find it hard to afford travel, perhaps? We're in that category.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think the author of the message wanted to acknowledge the international families who miss their loved ones but find it hard to afford travel, perhaps? We're in that category.

But they are acknowledging by saying, don't buy tickets for cheap if your kid has school. Stay in school and buy the more expensive tickets, probably.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think the author of the message wanted to acknowledge the international families who miss their loved ones but find it hard to afford travel, perhaps? We're in that category.

Yes, they’re obviously talking about people who take an international trip starting Dec 16 to get better prices. Which is hard to argue with if it’s the only time they can go see family.

[Anonymous]

It’s not racist. I had students of all races take off for two or three weeks in January. Yes, white children, too. The family was always on another continent. Always.

[Anonymous]

I am kicking myself that we did not travel for the full week of Thanksgiving. There was no content taught and no assessments and so many kids were out that the school sent several emails begging parents to not call, but to send in absenses through SIS.

Parents, take your children out of school when you need do, especially before breaks. There is nothing going on the days leading up to Winter Break.

Of course families are leaving early.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am kicking myself that we did not travel for the full week of Thanksgiving. There was no content taught and no assessments and so many kids were out that the school sent several emails begging parents to not call, but to send in absenses through SIS.

Parents, take your children out of school when you need do, especially before breaks. There is nothing going on the days leading up to Winter Break.

Of course families are leaving early.

Wow, PP, you sure come off as arrogant. Do you have kids in every grade? Are you a teacher? If not, I don't think you're qualified to say thst " nothing " is going on during this time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It’s not racist. I had students of all races take off for two or three weeks in January. Yes, white children, too. The family was always on another continent. Always.

It’s discrimination, if you prefer that word. I want to take my kid out for just three extra days so they can spend a little more time with their grandparents. They’re elderly, and I genuinely don’t know how much longer my child will have the chance to be with them. We’re white, and the grandparents live overseas and cannot travel.
And now I’m being told that these three days of school—during a period when teachers are mostly focused on supporting underachievers—are somehow more important than my straight-A+ student spending irreplaceable time with aging grandparents?

[Anonymous]

FCPS: Attendance matters!

Also FCPS: We take off for holidays you've never even heard of!

[Anonymous]

Yup, look at the school calendar as your guide FCPS. We've had something like 4 weeks of full school so far this year.

Why act surprised when families decide to pull their kids out for international travel? I guarantee that there will be plenty of famlies that never come back to school after the crazy five day Memorial Day weekend that we will have in 2026.

[Anonymous]

What absolute bs. I hope no one actually listens to them. Don’t forget how they treated school during Covid. It wasn’t important then and we only got 4 days of school for an entire freaking year on a computer! My child’s teacher actually moved out of the area during the school year and was allowed to still be employed by FCPS.

F off, FCPS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The messaging about the importance of attendance is getting more and more aggressive. And now also kind of racist.

"December Attendance
Every year, absences spike in the weeks before and after winter break. It’s time to break that cycle. Give your child the gift of attendance and help build a habit of attendance.

We recognize that holidays are an important time for reconnecting with families far away and exposing your children to your home and language, whether you grew up in another part of the United States or a different country. The price of plane tickets often influences when you want to travel. But keep in mind the costs to your children’s education if they miss too much school.

Make sure your child is in school every day, right up until vacation starts. Our teachers will be teaching, and our students will be learning. But it’s harder to teach and it’s harder to learn when too many students are absent.

Two weeks to go! Let's finish strong. Winter break is December 22nd through January 2nd. School resumes on January 5th, 2026."

Racist? Please.

[Anonymous]

I stopped caring when my kids had subs the day or so before days off. Nope. I'm taking the extra day on the beach this holiday season.

[Anonymous]

Racist? You can be upset with FCPS for a lot of things, but getting butthurt over a message to send your kids to school is way over the top.