Remind text from MCPS re absences

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This shows why automation in communications is not a good idea. It does more harm than good.

What harm?

People whose hobby is freaking out are going to freak out anyway.

[Anonymous]

Getting upset over an automated email suggests that you need an actual problem in life.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I was pissed to get this when my kids missed three days of school to attend a funeral of a very loved family member. Extensive travel was required and both kids schools and all their many teachers knew about this excused absence and were sympathetic. I know it was an automated message but it felt really insensitive and unnecessary when I’d clearly communicated the reason for the absence.

I'm sorry for your loss. Everything hurts during grief.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kid was suspended and we STILL got the text. It was MCPS’s decision not to have her in school (because of her actions, not trying to deflect), but the text made my jaw drop.

Why would it make your jaw drop? She missed school. Period. Kids who are chronically absent for whatever reason tend not to do well in school. I don’t think it’s all that surprising that schools want to avoid kids being chronically absent. It’s hard to be suspended these days so maybe your feeling should switch from surprise to contrition.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This shows why automation in communications is not a good idea. It does more harm than good.

What harm?

People whose hobby is freaking out are going to freak out anyway.

It erodes community trust when messages are inaccurate or invalid. You seem to lack emotional intelligence.

[Anonymous]

You need to report it to the attendance secretary or do their form, if they have one. Not very hard. If you don't, its appropriate they send a message so parents know in case their kids skipped school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You need to report it to the attendance secretary or do their form, if they have one. Not very hard. If you don't, its appropriate they send a message so parents know in case their kids skipped school.

Yes, that’s the point. We -DO- report it to the attendance secretary and we -STILL- get a phone call, text and email. That’s why everyone is annoyed about it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You need to report it to the attendance secretary or do their form, if they have one. Not very hard. If you don't, its appropriate they send a message so parents know in case their kids skipped school.

Sounds like you didn’t read the thread here

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You need to report it to the attendance secretary or do their form, if they have one. Not very hard. If you don't, its appropriate they send a message so parents know in case their kids skipped school.

Yes, that’s the point. We -DO- report it to the attendance secretary and we -STILL- get a phone call, text and email. That’s why everyone is annoyed about it.

Again, if your kid is on track to be chronically absent, you’re going to hear about it. It’s just two days per month. They don’t differentiate between excused and unexcused absences. 18 days is 18 days.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You need to report it to the attendance secretary or do their form, if they have one. Not very hard. If you don't, its appropriate they send a message so parents know in case their kids skipped school.

Yes, that’s the point. We -DO- report it to the attendance secretary and we -STILL- get a phone call, text and email. That’s why everyone is annoyed about it.

Again, if your kid is on track to be chronically absent, you’re going to hear about it. It’s just two days per month. They don’t differentiate between excused and unexcused absences. 18 days is 18 days.

Again, if you’re going to be obnoxious at least understand what you are talking about. My kid missed three days of school for a significant injury which the school knew about (it happened AT school), had been appropriately reported and, obviously excused legitimately. The next week I got an unsympathetic, impersonal lecturing email and text. My kid was not ever “on track to be chronically absent” nor did they have any history of missing school. It was unnecessary and stressful.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:These are required steps. Our social worker went over the required steps the district has to take before a kid's case can go to truancy court. These mass emails/call/messages are the first step. Then comes the letters sent to the home address. Then home visits, etc. They have to follow the same steps for everyone.

These are excused absences. Are they required to do this for excused absence???

Yes that is the annoying part. They don’t distinguish between excused and unexcused absences. I got one when my kid was out for 3 days for illness despite sending the school reporting form in daily. But it costs them nothing to send an annoying automated message and they obviously don’t differentiate between kids who have actual issues with unexcused absences.

[Anonymous]

Missing school means you are missing school. Just like everything, everyone who fits into a certain category gets the same treatment (phone calls) so there is no bias.

[Anonymous]

What happens if a person is chronically absent with excused absences due to multiple periods of illness and still works hard and has straight As or the like? Does the school see this differently?
That is very different than someone with the same number of absences who is not doing the work or doing poorly in school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What happens if a person is chronically absent with excused absences due to multiple periods of illness and still works hard and has straight As or the like? Does the school see this differently?
That is very different than someone with the same number of absences who is not doing the work or doing poorly in school.

Obviously they still get the calls and texts but is that all that happens?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You need to report it to the attendance secretary or do their form, if they have one. Not very hard. If you don't, its appropriate they send a message so parents know in case their kids skipped school.

Yes, that’s the point. We -DO- report it to the attendance secretary and we -STILL- get a phone call, text and email. That’s why everyone is annoyed about it.

This. My kid missed 4 consecutive days in first grade for illness - legit sick, 102 degree fever and coughing, etc. We reported it, it was excused, she made up the work. We got the message with the whole "do you understand it's important for your child to be in school? Let us help you" language.

Literally an hour later we also got the automated message about the importance of keeping your kids home when sick.