Would this be an excused absence in MCPS?

[Anonymous]

DS's travel sports team most likely will make it to the National Championships this year. He is a Junior in high school. According to MCPS, outside sports are never a legitimate excuse for an absence. Unfortunately, we have learned from other families that everyone just lies and says kid is sick if they have a tournament out of town which requires that they miss school. I really didn't want to lie so I would write excuses such as personal family reasons blah blah. I'm only talking 2 or 3 times a year so it's not like once a month or anything. If his team goes to Nationals they will have to miss 4 days of school. Don't me ask why they scheduled it like that. I want DS to be able to talk to his teachers now and be prepared to take quizzes or tests early and finish any homework due while he is away. But if he tells his teachers then they will know he will be away for unexcused absence. What would you do?

[Anonymous]

I'm no help, but I know exactly how you feel. I've always wondered why teachers and most adults get personal days or personal leave days, and why students get only sick days. Why shouldn't they get at least 1 or 2 personal days so that people don't have to make up lies?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
DS's travel sports team most likely will make it to the National Championships this year. He is a Junior in high school. According to MCPS, outside sports are never a legitimate excuse for an absence. Unfortunately, we have learned from other families that everyone just lies and says kid is sick if they have a tournament out of town which requires that they miss school. I really didn't want to lie so I would write excuses such as personal family reasons blah blah. I'm only talking 2 or 3 times a year so it's not like once a month or anything. If his team goes to Nationals they will have to miss 4 days of school. Don't me ask why they scheduled it like that. I want DS to be able to talk to his teachers now and be prepared to take quizzes or tests early and finish any homework due while he is away. But if he tells his teachers then they will know he will be away for unexcused absence. What would you do?

OP here
My mother taught me not to lie so I have very serious moral issues with having to lie about this. I've come to accept the fact that I have to do this for my son to have these opportunities. I'm sad that the rigid administration puts us in the position to lie in front of our children. What kind of lesson is this?

[Anonymous]

What difference is an "excused" vs. "Unexcused" absence? I'm in MCPS, but kids are only in elem. school. I see plenty of families go away for a week to go to Disney, which has no educational/historic value or life lesson, like a championship game in a sports league.

I was in the school's office once and heard the secretary on the phone saying that parents could put whatever down on the note. It was still an absence.

When my child has been out, I've only had to send in a note confirming he was out, not the reason why. Maybe things change in middle or high school... or maybe our school is massively slack?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
DS's travel sports team most likely will make it to the National Championships this year. He is a Junior in high school. According to MCPS, outside sports are never a legitimate excuse for an absence. Unfortunately, we have learned from other families that everyone just lies and says kid is sick if they have a tournament out of town which requires that they miss school. I really didn't want to lie so I would write excuses such as personal family reasons blah blah. I'm only talking 2 or 3 times a year so it's not like once a month or anything. If his team goes to Nationals they will have to miss 4 days of school. Don't me ask why they scheduled it like that. I want DS to be able to talk to his teachers now and be prepared to take quizzes or tests early and finish any homework due while he is away. But if he tells his teachers then they will know he will be away for unexcused absence. What would you do?

I wouldn't lie.

As a teacher, I'd prefer to know the truth. It's not as though you're traveling to Disney World in May. Tell the principal first. If the absences are unexcused, so be it - as policy is policy. But I do think teachers would be understanding enough to make arrangements.

[Anonymous]

Difference is kid might not be able to make up some work so grade might suffer. Bummer.

[Anonymous]

I don't think "personal family reasons" will get used an excused absence either. I think it is sick, funeral, not sure what else. Hopefully the teachers will be accommodate..but remember they don't have to be. My kids are not in HS yet so I have not run into the high stakes questions yet. Tough choices.

[Anonymous]

What difference is an "excused" vs. "Unexcused" absence?

I'm an MCPS teacher. The answer is... pretty much nothing, unless it becomes habitual. I've had students go back to their country for a month at a time. what am I going to do, fail them for a whole quarter? Of course not, we find a way to get work made up. Go, take your kid, have fun. I would definitely have him tell his teachers know ahead of time, especially if there is going to be something significant like a test or project due. I don't know any teacher who would expect a student to miss out on playing a national championship game just because it's "unexcused."

[Anonymous]

It is a problem for children whose families are from other countries. It is difficult and expensive to travel for 5 days for Spring break to places where it takes 12 hrs to get to. they don't see their families often so it is important to go for longer. Summers are not always an option for some families because of jobs, expense of travel during the peak season, etc.

[Anonymous]

He should be able to have 2 discretionary days per year. Many families use that for college visits and thing like that. Other than the 2 days, it's only excused for sickness or a death in the family. Although the principal has the authority to grant additional excused days.

[Anonymous]

I think it's terrible that as parents we feel like we have to lie to the school. This is something your son should be proud of and be able to share. The school should be proud to have an outstanding athlete. Unless people are keeping their kids out of school regularly or for extended periods of time, I think parents should be afforded some discretion in the matter. Good luck!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

What difference is an "excused" vs. "Unexcused" absence?

I'm an MCPS teacher. The answer is... pretty much nothing, unless it becomes habitual. I've had students go back to their country for a month at a time. what am I going to do, fail them for a whole quarter? Of course not, we find a way to get work made up. Go, take your kid, have fun. I would definitely have him tell his teachers know ahead of time, especially if there is going to be something significant like a test or project due. I don't know any teacher who would expect a student to miss out on playing a national championship game just because it's "unexcused."

My kids are MS in MCPS and there definitely IS a consequence for unexcused absences. You can't make up the missed work, which includes tests that are given during the absence. And, certain middle school grades show up on the high school transcript.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It is a problem for children whose families are from other countries. It is difficult and expensive to travel for 5 days for Spring break to places where it takes 12 hrs to get to. they don't see their families often so it is important to go for longer. Summers are not always an option for some families because of jobs, expense of travel during the peak season, etc.

In FCPS, you can get these types of absences excused as long as they are prearranged. I teach ESOL and have students leave all the time for several weeks during the year. They are expected to go online to get work or make it up when they get back.

[Anonymous]

In MCPS, there is some discretion as to what is excused given to the principal -- for instance, here is Whitman's policy. I think National Championship game would qualify.

http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/uploadedFiles/schools/whitmanhs/about/Attendance%202011.pdf

[Anonymous]

Actually -

It appears even under the general rule, this could be an excused absence.

http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/policy/pdf/jeara.pdf