Unexcused absences, holidays and “chronic truancy” and how DC handles these issues.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you tell your kid's teachers in advance, offer to do any makeup work they want (but don't demand they prepare anything) and aren't generally a pain in the ass, there's a good chance they'll mark a couple of days as excused to avoid the letter. Just be upfront about the issue/don't lie. Our kids' teachers have always been willing to do it. (We take a family trip to my DH's country of origin every other year and miss about 8-10 days depending on the DCPS schedule for that year. The country is far away and so it's worth it for us. We've always been able to work with teachers to keep the unexcused year total under 10.)

No. Do not give teachers more work to accommodate your off-peak flight/vacation. You can buy a workbook from Target.

I don't even respond to those emails anymore. I just cc the social worker and let her do her thing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I had friends here on a work visa from Australia with kids in DCPS. They had a family wedding in early January so opted to stay in Australia until after the wedding given the cost of flights and travel time. Their young elementary students missed the first two weeks back, so 10 days total. They did have to meet with CPS. It all seemed strange because the kids and parents weren't US Citizens. Nothing came of it.

The child welfare system has jurisdiction over noncitizens too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you tell your kid's teachers in advance, offer to do any makeup work they want (but don't demand they prepare anything) and aren't generally a pain in the ass, there's a good chance they'll mark a couple of days as excused to avoid the letter. Just be upfront about the issue/don't lie. Our kids' teachers have always been willing to do it. (We take a family trip to my DH's country of origin every other year and miss about 8-10 days depending on the DCPS schedule for that year. The country is far away and so it's worth it for us. We've always been able to work with teachers to keep the unexcused year total under 10.)

No. Do not give teachers more work to accommodate your off-peak flight/vacation. You can buy a workbook from Target.

I don't even respond to those emails anymore. I just cc the social worker and let her do her thing.

Reading comprehension much? I specifically said not to ask them to prepare anything. My older kids' teachers have their homework ready well in advance and have always been happy to give it to us early. It's not a matter of me needing stuff for my kids to do, it's that I don't want my kids to get behind on work in a way that's a pain for their teachers. You must be at an UNW school if you think the school's social workers would care at all about this scenario. Our school's saintly overworked social worker would delete your message in a heartbeat.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hot take - your kids school would prefer if you lied to them. If they can excuse the absence it improves their truancy rate. Win-win!

+1

Parents do it all the time. I’ve had kids miss 45 days of school all excused. No one in DCPS cared or blinked an eye. Family emergency is an excused absence. I’ve had students with familiar emergencies once a week all year.

[Anonymous]

My kid missed hit the 10 day trigger last year. We got a letter from the school and that was it.

Don’t worry about it OP. If your kid is doing well in school and you want or need to travel, do it. Missing a few days is no big deal.

Now is the time to travel in elementary because it will be harder in middle and up to miss school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hot take - your kids school would prefer if you lied to them. If they can excuse the absence it improves their truancy rate. Win-win!

I agree with this even though I've never lied about absences to our school. However my kid misses a decent amount of school for illness each year (not serious illness, just very prone to colds and catches everything that runs through the school or the extra curricular) and I know the admin at our DCPS thinks I'm using illness as an excuse to take the kid out for travel and doesn't care. Once my kid was out (for illness) on the day before a scheduled four day weekend (we spent the entire weekend in DC with a kid sick with a stomach bug) and when I dropped DC off at school after the break, I ran into the admin who was like "how as your weekend? what did you guys do?" even though we had corresponded the previous week about my child's stomach bug. She was very wink-wink in the conversation when I said we'd just stayed home while DC recovered and were glad DH and I had not gotten sick as well.

The truancy rate is really their main focus. If they can find a way to excuse the absences, they will. We don't travel a lot so I've never tested this, but I am confident it wouldn't be that hard to get away with.

[Anonymous]

1. Public school has 180 days in session. Go on vacay during the other 185. Or homeschool. Or go private. Or go to online school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you tell your kid's teachers in advance, offer to do any makeup work they want (but don't demand they prepare anything) and aren't generally a pain in the ass, there's a good chance they'll mark a couple of days as excused to avoid the letter. Just be upfront about the issue/don't lie. Our kids' teachers have always been willing to do it. (We take a family trip to my DH's country of origin every other year and miss about 8-10 days depending on the DCPS schedule for that year. The country is far away and so it's worth it for us. We've always been able to work with teachers to keep the unexcused year total under 10.)

No. Do not give teachers more work to accommodate your off-peak flight/vacation. You can buy a workbook from Target.

I don't even respond to those emails anymore. I just cc the social worker and let her do her thing.

Reading comprehension much? I specifically said not to ask them to prepare anything. My older kids' teachers have their homework ready well in advance and have always been happy to give it to us early. It's not a matter of me needing stuff for my kids to do, it's that I don't want my kids to get behind on work in a way that's a pain for their teachers. You must be at an UNW school if you think the school's social workers would care at all about this scenario. Our school's saintly overworked social worker would delete your message in a heartbeat.

"our teachers have always been willing to do it". Do what? because you are "honest" they just look the other way. You sound like a pain in the ass parent.
You are lucky you aren't in my class or at our school. Your out of boundary *ss would have been kicked out by now. Sounds like your saintly social worker should be fired for not doing their job.

Ever heard of Rashida Rudd from your little perch?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you tell your kid's teachers in advance, offer to do any makeup work they want (but don't demand they prepare anything) and aren't generally a pain in the ass, there's a good chance they'll mark a couple of days as excused to avoid the letter. Just be upfront about the issue/don't lie. Our kids' teachers have always been willing to do it. (We take a family trip to my DH's country of origin every other year and miss about 8-10 days depending on the DCPS schedule for that year. The country is far away and so it's worth it for us. We've always been able to work with teachers to keep the unexcused year total under 10.)

No. Do not give teachers more work to accommodate your off-peak flight/vacation. You can buy a workbook from Target.

I don't even respond to those emails anymore. I just cc the social worker and let her do her thing.

Reading comprehension much? I specifically said not to ask them to prepare anything. My older kids' teachers have their homework ready well in advance and have always been happy to give it to us early. It's not a matter of me needing stuff for my kids to do, it's that I don't want my kids to get behind on work in a way that's a pain for their teachers. You must be at an UNW school if you think the school's social workers would care at all about this scenario. Our school's saintly overworked social worker would delete your message in a heartbeat.

"our teachers have always been willing to do it". Do what? because you are "honest" they just look the other way. You sound like a pain in the ass parent.
You are lucky you aren't in my class or at our school. Your out of boundary *ss would have been kicked out by now. Sounds like your saintly social worker should be fired for not doing their job.

Ever heard of Rashida Rudd from your little perch?

I’m not sure what you’re having trouble following. Our teachers have always been willing to mark a few days as excused even when we tell the truth about our plans in order to avoid hassle with the 10 day letter/CPS/etc. I’m also in the boundary of my school FWIW and have very good relationships with most of our teachers.

I’ve heard of Relisha Rudd, of course, but still think it is a waste of resources to go after families for missing 10 days, especially non-consecutively, when you know exactly where they are. We’d be totally happy to do a Teams call if that assuaged concerns — and in fact one of the kids did call into class to show the teacher and class something they’d learned about in school (at the teacher’s request) on our last trip.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:1. Public school has 180 days in session. Go on vacay during the other 185. Or homeschool. Or go private. Or go to online school.

1/2 the time spent in school in DC is a waste of time. If you have a high performing kid, that percentage goes up even more. The kid will get much more out of some trips then missing a few days of school.

Now if your kid is at the bottom of the class, well that is different situation altogether.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you tell your kid's teachers in advance, offer to do any makeup work they want (but don't demand they prepare anything) and aren't generally a pain in the ass, there's a good chance they'll mark a couple of days as excused to avoid the letter. Just be upfront about the issue/don't lie. Our kids' teachers have always been willing to do it. (We take a family trip to my DH's country of origin every other year and miss about 8-10 days depending on the DCPS schedule for that year. The country is far away and so it's worth it for us. We've always been able to work with teachers to keep the unexcused year total under 10.)

No. Do not give teachers more work to accommodate your off-peak flight/vacation. You can buy a workbook from Target.

I don't even respond to those emails anymore. I just cc the social worker and let her do her thing.

Reading comprehension much? I specifically said not to ask them to prepare anything. My older kids' teachers have their homework ready well in advance and have always been happy to give it to us early. It's not a matter of me needing stuff for my kids to do, it's that I don't want my kids to get behind on work in a way that's a pain for their teachers. You must be at an UNW school if you think the school's social workers would care at all about this scenario. Our school's saintly overworked social worker would delete your message in a heartbeat.

Reading comprehension much? No one said or implied that. Bizarre non sequitur.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:1. Public school has 180 days in session. Go on vacay during the other 185. Or homeschool. Or go private. Or go to online school.

1/2 the time spent in school in DC is a waste of time. If you have a high performing kid, that percentage goes up even more. The kid will get much more out of some trips then missing a few days of school.

Now if your kid is at the bottom of the class, well that is different situation altogether.

If you’re pulling your kids from class for multiple days in middle school, you’re contributing to their anxiety. I see kids crying before and after returning from abroad. Is your vacation more important than your kid’s mental health?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:1. Public school has 180 days in session. Go on vacay during the other 185. Or homeschool. Or go private. Or go to online school.

1/2 the time spent in school in DC is a waste of time. If you have a high performing kid, that percentage goes up even more. The kid will get much more out of some trips then missing a few days of school.

Now if your kid is at the bottom of the class, well that is different situation altogether.

If you’re pulling your kids from class for multiple days in middle school, you’re contributing to their anxiety. I see kids crying before and after returning from abroad. Is your vacation more important than your kid’s mental health?

Oh my god, no parent should do this to their kid in middle school. My kids learns new information every day and then is tested on it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you tell your kid's teachers in advance, offer to do any makeup work they want (but don't demand they prepare anything) and aren't generally a pain in the ass, there's a good chance they'll mark a couple of days as excused to avoid the letter. Just be upfront about the issue/don't lie. Our kids' teachers have always been willing to do it. (We take a family trip to my DH's country of origin every other year and miss about 8-10 days depending on the DCPS schedule for that year. The country is far away and so it's worth it for us. We've always been able to work with teachers to keep the unexcused year total under 10.)

No. Do not give teachers more work to accommodate your off-peak flight/vacation. You can buy a workbook from Target.

I don't even respond to those emails anymore. I just cc the social worker and let her do her thing.

Reading comprehension much? I specifically said not to ask them to prepare anything. My older kids' teachers have their homework ready well in advance and have always been happy to give it to us early. It's not a matter of me needing stuff for my kids to do, it's that I don't want my kids to get behind on work in a way that's a pain for their teachers. You must be at an UNW school if you think the school's social workers would care at all about this scenario. Our school's saintly overworked social worker would delete your message in a heartbeat.

"our teachers have always been willing to do it". Do what? because you are "honest" they just look the other way. You sound like a pain in the ass parent.
You are lucky you aren't in my class or at our school. Your out of boundary *ss would have been kicked out by now. Sounds like your saintly social worker should be fired for not doing their job.

Ever heard of Rashida Rudd from your little perch?

I’m not sure what you’re having trouble following. Our teachers have always been willing to mark a few days as excused even when we tell the truth about our plans in order to avoid hassle with the 10 day letter/CPS/etc. I’m also in the boundary of my school FWIW and have very good relationships with most of our teachers.

I’ve heard of Relisha Rudd, of course, but still think it is a waste of resources to go after families for missing 10 days, especially non-consecutively, when you know exactly where they are. We’d be totally happy to do a Teams call if that assuaged concerns — and in fact one of the kids did call into class to show the teacher and class something they’d learned about in school (at the teacher’s request) on our last trip.

Your travel plans should not be excused. What part of that do you not understand?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you tell your kid's teachers in advance, offer to do any makeup work they want (but don't demand they prepare anything) and aren't generally a pain in the ass, there's a good chance they'll mark a couple of days as excused to avoid the letter. Just be upfront about the issue/don't lie. Our kids' teachers have always been willing to do it. (We take a family trip to my DH's country of origin every other year and miss about 8-10 days depending on the DCPS schedule for that year. The country is far away and so it's worth it for us. We've always been able to work with teachers to keep the unexcused year total under 10.)

No. Do not give teachers more work to accommodate your off-peak flight/vacation. You can buy a workbook from Target.

I don't even respond to those emails anymore. I just cc the social worker and let her do her thing.

Reading comprehension much? I specifically said not to ask them to prepare anything. My older kids' teachers have their homework ready well in advance and have always been happy to give it to us early. It's not a matter of me needing stuff for my kids to do, it's that I don't want my kids to get behind on work in a way that's a pain for their teachers. You must be at an UNW school if you think the school's social workers would care at all about this scenario. Our school's saintly overworked social worker would delete your message in a heartbeat.

Reading comprehension much? No one said or implied that. Bizarre non sequitur.

What? The PP literally told me to “buy a workbook.” Explain what you think she meant.