Letter from principal - excessive absences (FCPS)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Obviously the school just wants you to send a sick child in.

Anyway OP, good luck, keeping a sick child home rather than sending them in when they are contagious is the right thing to do dispute what the bureaucrats and their form letters say.

If VA has minimum attendance requirements for a grade, like the state I grew up in did, then it's not an issue of sending a sick kid in or keeping her home. She may need home tutoring, or some other alternative, in order to get to 4th grade next year.

I would get in touch with her teacher and the principal, if I were OP, to find out if her DD is in danger of that, and what to do going forward.

[Anonymous]

As long as you are communicating regularly with the teacher about the child's illness and the child is keeping up with the work, I don't see a problem. The principal is probably required to send the letter by the regulations. It's for the safety of all our kids.

[Anonymous]

I can't find anything on fcps.edu related to actual day for ES students. I don't think there's a bedrock rule.

[Anonymous]

Actual number of days required.

[Anonymous]

My son just started kindergarten this year in FCPS. We got a similar letter for 5 tardies. I was so upset when we received the letter. I now realize it is just a form letter.

However, if my child had that many absences in 3rd grade, I would be very concerned.

How are her grades?

I would think by 3rd grade, students are learning math that could not be followed along if you missed 2 weeks in a row.

[Anonymous]

We got a similar letter for 5 tardies.

Did you call or send in notes for the tardies? How tardy was your child?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My son just started kindergarten this year in FCPS. We got a similar letter for 5 tardies. I was so upset when we received the letter. I now realize it is just a form letter.

However, if my child had that many absences in 3rd grade, I would be very concerned.

How are her grades?

I would think by 3rd grade, students are learning math that could not be followed along if you missed 2 weeks in a row.

Those tardies are COMPLETELY on you. Why in the heck can't you get him to school on time?

[Anonymous]

Two years ago my daughter missed a total of almost three weeks. She did not have to be hospitalized but was very sick several times (flu, bronchitis, strep etc.). Other years she has missed zero to 3 days the entire year. Some years are just bad. Be in contact with the school and her teacher to let them know what is going on. I'm also a teacher and have never seen a student failed simply for attendace. OP, I hope she recovers quickly and feels better soon if you decide to do the surgery.

[Anonymous]

OP, know that the Principal was probably just following some protocol, something required. Your child had hit some magic number of absences, and a letter was generated. An automatic thing. Fortunately, or unfortunately - it had nothing to do with your particular child and how well they are doing in school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymou[b wrote:s]I would call the principal and make sure it's clear in her record that these were all excused absences for medical reasons,[/b] and then to discuss whether there are particular concerns with her school performance that need to be addressed. If it's just a form letter and nothing to worry about, the principal can clarify quickly, but if there are issues, better to be proactive rather than waiting for an actual demand for response.

This is a very good idea -- OP, do this right away. I would want to ask for a copy of whatever portion of the school record says in writing that these were medically excused absences. This is just so that you don't assume, right now, that all these days are listed in your DD's record as excused when possibly that is not the case in the school's records. You just want to ensure there are no surprises later that you then have to go in and ask them to fix. No need to be confrontational about it when you ask; just approach it as, "As part of being sure we're doing all we can both to get her well and to ensure she's keeping up with school, I want to check to be certain her days off sick are officially listed as excused, medical absences." I do know a parent who had to tell the school to change what were listed as some "unexcused" absences because they were actually medical--the parents had let the school know that on those days but it got mis-recorded.

OP, have you talked with her teacher(s) about her work and the impact of the absences, other than just to get homework assignments sent to you? I would involve her teachers and would want to know whether she had, for instance, missed key classes where certain concepts were explained that she just can't pick up through doing homework about them. Maybe her teachers already have this part covered, though.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My son just started kindergarten this year in FCPS. We got a similar letter for 5 tardies. I was so upset when we received the letter. I now realize it is just a form letter.

However, if my child had that many absences in 3rd grade, I would be very concerned.

How are her grades?

I would think by 3rd grade, students are learning math that could not be followed along if you missed 2 weeks in a row.

Those tardies are COMPLETELY on you. Why in the heck can't you get him to school on time?

PP here. My kid's school has kiss and ride. Often there is a long line and he would get to his classroom after the second bell rang. I'd estimate that he was less than 5 min late for each tardy.

I didn't even realize he was being marked tardy on those days since he went in through the normal day. We now get to the kiss and ride early. If you get there during the 10 min window, your child may not get inside the building on time.

[Anonymous]

PP here. My kid's school has kiss and ride. Often there is a long line and he would get to his classroom after the second bell rang. I'd estimate that he was less than 5 min late for each tardy.

I didn't even realize he was being marked tardy on those days since he went in through the normal day. We now get to the kiss and ride early. If you get there during the 10 min window, your child may not get inside the building on time.

He can't ride the bus?

[Anonymous]

22 sick days is a lot. And the random snow days have been disruptive even if they are built into the calendar this year. I would call and ask to speak to the principal and her teacher. Has your daughter been doing any make up work at home?

Has she done any review for the SOLs?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

PP here. My kid's school has kiss and ride. Often there is a long line and he would get to his classroom after the second bell rang. I'd estimate that he was less than 5 min late for each tardy.

I didn't even realize he was being marked tardy on those days since he went in through the normal day. We now get to the kiss and ride early. If you get there during the 10 min window, your child may not get inside the building on time.

He can't ride the bus?

Fcps has a very large no bussing zone for elementary. I think it is 1.5 miles. Busy roads don't matter.

And fwiw, our busses don't seem to arrive much earlier than the close of K&R.

[Anonymous]

And fwiw, our busses don't seem to arrive much earlier than the close of K&R.

But, they are not counted as tardy.