Anonymous wrote:P.s.: This case:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/how-a-family-adoption-trip-led-to-a-truancy-referral-child-neglect-charge/2015/02/09/156af9ae-b069-11e4-886b-c22184f27c35_story.html

Eek, this is exactly the kind of situation I am afraid of! DD's teacher said she had "no concerns" about her missing this amount of school and we also kept her totally caught up. I didn't realize their was this other beauracracy at work!

The teacher should have informed the office or asked you to.

You can send it to the teacher but if the teach drops the ball and doesn't pass it along to the office it puts you in an awkward position. To cover your bases I suggest:
-walk it into the office and hand it to the person in charge of attendance or the principal
-email the principal with a cc to the teacher and attendance person
-fax (if people still do this) the note to the school office.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Your attitude is the problem. You didn't even know to write the note when your child was sick. If the mandate is to have kids enrolled in school at 5 I have no idea why you would think they shouldn't enforced attendance rules. Work trip or not, your kids should be in school. You need to inform yourself of the rules. I doubt anything serious will come out of this, but let this serve as a wake up call.

How should I have known I need to write a note? I always informed the teacher, as the person who would notice that she is not there during the day.

Really? Did you parents never write a note for you when you missed school? Seems pretty standard. At the very least send an email to the office staff who take attendance if you can't be bother to pen a simply note.

I always sent a note to the teacher, the DCPS handbook say you must must send a note to the "designated attendent staff," thought teacher would cover it! Anyway, for what is it with I do think it is good that DCPS is tracking this, as kids missing from school is a big red flag

P.s.: This case:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/how-a-family-adoption-trip-led-to-a-truancy-referral-child-neglect-charge/2015/02/09/156af9ae-b069-11e4-886b-c22184f27c35_story.html

Folks are being a little too hard on OP. These truancy policies matter and there are a lot of kids who need protection. But DCPS does a lousy job of explaining attendance policies, as well as proper reporting procedures (or at least at my inbound). And they shouldn't be wasting resources going after families that value education, especially if there's zero reason to expect the kid is being mistreated.

Strong policies that allow for some judgment is the way to go.

There was a case a few years back involving a single-parent who took her child overseas with her to adopt another child, and the school launched an investigation into her whic, if I recall, almost interfered with the adoption.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Your attitude is the problem. You didn't even know to write the note when your child was sick. If the mandate is to have kids enrolled in school at 5 I have no idea why you would think they shouldn't enforced attendance rules. Work trip or not, your kids should be in school. You need to inform yourself of the rules. I doubt anything serious will come out of this, but let this serve as a wake up call.

How should I have known I need to write a note? I always informed the teacher, as the person who would notice that she is not there during the day.

Really? Did you parents never write a note for you when you missed school? Seems pretty standard. At the very least send an email to the office staff who take attendance if you can't be bother to pen a simply note.

I always sent a note to the teacher, the DCPS handbook say you must must send a note to the "designated attendent staff," thought teacher would cover it! Anyway, for what is it with I do think it is good that DCPS is tracking this, as kids missing from school is a big red flag

OP - now you know. There is a person in every school office who maintains attendance records. The teachers will tell that person who is missing each day and the teacher can help your child make up missing work.

But you must provide documentation to the office.

Good luck - just plead ignorance and apologize. It will be fine.

Anonymous wrote:Thanks for the advice here, the situation is just a bit frustrating as me brought DD overseas in part because it would be deeply educational, we ensured she kept up on her classes work, and in any case she is testing well above grade level so missing 10 days of formal school should not be a major concern of anyone. She is only six! Now I am worried that family services of something will start investigating us!

Not a big deal. Just write a letter explaining everything and ensuring the school that you will write excuse note here on out. The note letter sounds scarier than it is. There are still families who are educationally neglecting their child who are getting around the policy. Cover your ass and write the notes.

OP, first of all this isn't that big of a deal. Just do the meeting and say you didn't realize she needed a note when you had already spoken to the teacher. Most schools have a person you call in the office or an e-mail address for when you child will be out.

Also, I just say my child was sick regardless of reason child was out. We have received letters (not for a conference- just warning) and I toss them. We really aren't the problem in DCPS and your 1st grader isn't either.

It will likely be a big pain in the butt for you to deal with this - I don't think that anything will happen. As mentioned, the truancy policy exists for a good reason and in order for this policy to be successful, it must be applied universally and consistently and rely on stereotypes.

Really? Did your parents not write a note for you when you missed school? Seems pretty standard. At the very least send an email to the office staff who take attendance if you can't be bothered to pen a simple note.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Your attitude is the problem. You didn't even know to write the note when your child was sick. If the mandate is to have kids enrolled in school at 5 I have no idea why you would think they shouldn't enforced attendance rules. Work trip or not, your kids should be in school. You need to inform yourself of the rules. I doubt anything serious will come out of this, but let this serve as a wake up call.

How should I have known I need to write a note? I always informed the teacher, as the person who would notice that she is not there during the day.

Really? Did you parents never write a note for you when you missed school? Seems pretty standard. At the very least send an email to the office staff who take attendance if you can't be bother to pen a simply note.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Your attitude is the problem. You didn't even know to write the note when your child was sick. If the mandate is to have kids enrolled in school at 5 I have no idea why you would think they shouldn't enforced attendance rules. Work trip or not, your kids should be in school. You need to inform yourself of the rules. I doubt anything serious will come out of this, but let this serve as a wake up call.

How should I have known I need to write a note? I always informed the teacher, as the person who would notice that she is not there during the day.

Letters at the begging of school year, parent handbook, website, common sense. You name it.

Anonymous wrote:Your attitude is the problem. You didn't even know to write the note when your child was sick. If the mandate is to have kids enrolled in school at 5 I have no idea why you would think they shouldn't enforced attendance rules. Work trip or not, your kids should be in school. You need to inform yourself of the rules. I doubt anything serious will come out of this, but let this serve as a wake up call.

How should I have known I need to write a note? I always informed the teacher, as the person who would notice that she is not there during the day.

Your attitude is the problem. You didn't even know to write the note when your child was sick. If the mandate is to have kids enrolled in school at 5 I have no idea why you would think they shouldn't enforced attendance rules. Work trip or not, your kids should be in school. You need to inform yourself of the rules. I doubt anything serious will come out of this, but let this serve as a wake up call.