My senior is skipping a lot of school...

[Anonymous]

My child graduated last year and barely went to class all year.

Still graduated at the top of his class and ended up at a T20.

I could have cared less because most of the time spent in class was a huge waste of his time where he had finished his work and was forced to just sit there and stare at the walls (was not allowed to do work from other classes, was not allowed to get his phone out).

He used the time at home to do other productive projects, get his homework done, etc. Not a single person from the high school ever mentioned it to him or to us.

Not every kid needs to be in school 7 hours a day to accomplish what they need to accomplish.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My child graduated last year and barely went to class all year.

Still graduated at the top of his class and ended up at a T20.

I could have cared less because most of the time spent in class was a huge waste of his time where he had finished his work and was forced to just sit there and stare at the walls (was not allowed to do work from other classes, was not allowed to get his phone out).

He used the time at home to do other productive projects, get his homework done, etc. Not a single person from the high school ever mentioned it to him or to us.

Not every kid needs to be in school 7 hours a day to accomplish what they need to accomplish.

Did he get tons of referrals for UNX absences?

[Anonymous]

I mean I didn't go to class my freshman year of college (except for when things were due/tests) and I had straight As. I don't think it's morally wrong to skip class, whether FCPS will penalize her is a separate question. My sister started failing her senior year, and that was absolutely a problem (she had to reach out to the school she was accepted to and justify her terrible grades). But I don't think absences would be reported?

[Anonymous]

This is your fault for being hands off and not parenting. Time to step up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My child graduated last year and barely went to class all year.

Still graduated at the top of his class and ended up at a T20.

I could have cared less because most of the time spent in class was a huge waste of his time where he had finished his work and was forced to just sit there and stare at the walls (was not allowed to do work from other classes, was not allowed to get his phone out).

He used the time at home to do other productive projects, get his homework done, etc. Not a single person from the high school ever mentioned it to him or to us.

Not every kid needs to be in school 7 hours a day to accomplish what they need to accomplish.

Did he get tons of referrals for UNX absences?

Nope - none of the absences were excused, he just didn't show up. No discipline, no teachers ever mentioned it, no administrators flagged it. It's like nobody even noticed at all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:90% of life is showing up. She is learning it's ok not to show up. By letting her skip classes/days, and writing her excuses,you are nurturing this behavior.

Frankly, FCPS would be the least of my concerns. I'd be more forward looking into my child's future as to whether they can be counted on to be somewhere even if they think it will be "boring" or they think they have "something better to do." I'm guessing she rarely misses a good time with friends.

This++

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My daughter is an only child and she is pretty independent. Middle School and High School have mostly been hands off for me. She is a Senior now, is taking a challenging course load, has straight As, and has been accepted to her dream university. Here is the thing, she skips school A LOT. Sometimes she asks me to write her a note, which I do, sometimes she just skips certain periods (she tells me they are going over test corrections which she doesn't need or there is a substitute, or they are watching a movie, etc), and then there are the Senior skip days. It is not just her, it is most of her friends also (all really good students). My question is: Can FCPS penalize her in some way for all the missed days/classes? Or will she not be on their radar because of her grades? Also, how is it possible for kids to skip so much and still get good grades??? Are senior classes graded easier? I feel like she had to work so hard her junior year to keep top marks and she rarely skipped. This year is insane.

Because much of the work is posted on Schoology. Teachers hare required to make the curriculum accessible to all students -- so whether you are sick, or on a field trip, or having a bout of senioritis -- it is generally all there for you to complete.

[Anonymous]

You should probably talk to the guidance counselor and find out. My daughter had a girl in her advisory class pulled out by admin and told her that if more of her absences were not excused she would not graduate.
Also, what she’s telling you isn’t true. My kid is a good smart kid and he and all his friends go to school every day. And you can not participate in after school activities if you don’t attend during the day. At the very least don’t write excuses for your child. School is their job. They go. If it’s easy- great- write your first novel while you are sitting there or code an app.

[Anonymous]

You can skip alot of college and just turn in the exams/projects.

Why not get an early start!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My child graduated last year and barely went to class all year.

Still graduated at the top of his class and ended up at a T20.

I could have cared less because most of the time spent in class was a huge waste of his time where he had finished his work and was forced to just sit there and stare at the walls (was not allowed to do work from other classes, was not allowed to get his phone out).

He used the time at home to do other productive projects, get his homework done, etc. Not a single person from the high school ever mentioned it to him or to us.

Not every kid needs to be in school 7 hours a day to accomplish what they need to accomplish.

Did he get tons of referrals for UNX absences?

Nope - none of the absences were excused, he just didn't show up. No discipline, no teachers ever mentioned it, no administrators flagged it. It's like nobody even noticed at all.

Is his name George Glass?

[Anonymous]

My straight A kids generally got lax around mid May- so maybe a month of iffy attendance which is normal because they stop teaching to focus on SOLs and the seniors are really done and its questionable why they are there. I would not allow my kid to skip so much at this point, it's just personal discipline and her college will get the grades. If she is getting all As without going to school, that is another worrying trend from FCPS. Kids start to think they can skip and learn on their own and next thing you know you are in a competitive college environment where things are much harder.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My straight A kids generally got lax around mid May- so maybe a month of iffy attendance which is normal because they stop teaching to focus on SOLs and the seniors are really done and its questionable why they are there. I would not allow my kid to skip so much at this point, it's just personal discipline and her college will get the grades. If she is getting all As without going to school, that is another worrying trend from FCPS. Kids start to think they can skip and learn on their own and next thing you know you are in a competitive college environment where things are much harder.

AP exams are early-mid May, so I agree not a lot is happening after that. But I think there would still be consequences for tons of unexcused absences. The kid can read a book if she’s bored.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My child graduated last year and barely went to class all year.

Still graduated at the top of his class and ended up at a T20.

I could have cared less because most of the time spent in class was a huge waste of his time where he had finished his work and was forced to just sit there and stare at the walls (was not allowed to do work from other classes, was not allowed to get his phone out).

He used the time at home to do other productive projects, get his homework done, etc. Not a single person from the high school ever mentioned it to him or to us.

Not every kid needs to be in school 7 hours a day to accomplish what they need to accomplish.

This and if teachers aren't teaching and engaging with students you can understand it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You should probably talk to the guidance counselor and find out. My daughter had a girl in her advisory class pulled out by admin and told her that if more of her absences were not excused she would not graduate.

Also, what she’s telling you isn’t true. My kid is a good smart kid and he and all his friends go to school every day. And you can not participate in after school activities if you don’t attend during the day. At the very least don’t write excuses for your child. School is their job. They go. If it’s easy- great- write your first novel while you are sitting there or code an app.

I believe the above.

[Anonymous]

Did you get an attendance report card? I just found ours in my spam. Did it say anything about so much missed school?