DW02 thread resurfaces. Kids missing school

[Jeff Gilbert]

http://www.dirtrider.net/forums3/showthread.php?s=&threadid=48340&highlight=missing+school

I do like the idea about certificates for the kids

 

[Chili]

Interesting thread and certainly something that has been at the front of the thought process in our household recently. LazyBoy is starting High School this year (grade 9) and the schools attendance policy just arrived with the pre-school letter. Basically 4 truancies or 10 absences = your done re-enroll in the class next year! Dirtweek will be 6 absences for LazyBoy and this was a major concern for me since he tends to miss his share of sick days during the winter.

I went to the school the other day and talked to the Vice Prinicipal and she assured me that after all his teachers sign off on the "vacation" form with what is expected of him while he's away the Principal signs it off and your good to go with it considered an excused absence. The onus at this point is on the student to make sure all obligations are fulfilled by the time they return or you may then have a serious issue with future absences.

 

[WaltCMoto]

Chili,
Ditto here on my 9th grader for school policy. They just cant miss mid terms and finals. The 7th grader has easier rules, has to make up computer labs after school when he returns. Both schools were reasonable about the family vacation.

 

[MX-727]

The attitudes of these schools really drive me nuts. They act like six days is an unrecoverable amount of time. Most of the time when I sit down with the kids, you find that there is quite a bit of wasted time in class. Trust me, if the school was sending a sports team or the band away for a week, there would be no problem.

Last year, we made the kids get the lessons ahead of time and made them do their work at DW. Some teachers balked, but when I asked them if they really had no idea what they were going to teach for the next week, they relented.

 

[coleman]

I think the school is being a bit too harsh. Grade 9 isn't important. The only grades that really matter are 11 and 12.

 

[BSWIFT]

Here is a real oppertunity to do something truely educational.  Let's give the school age kids an assignment, written.  They have to introduce themselves to someone(adult) that they have never met and ask them a list of questions.  All kids that participate get a Certificate of Achievement that they can take back to school and let the teachers and principals their written report on the importance in meeting different people and how so many different people from all over can have so much in common.  Keep it simple for the younger ones and a bit more advanced for the older kids.  Maybe Chat Mom(GSR) could grade the papers and present the best at the awards ceremony.  Justql will only be there on Saturday but he may be willing to help out with this and his is a genuine Principal.  Just my $.02 worth.

 

[Chili]

Originally posted by MX-727
The attitudes of these schools really drive me nuts. They act like six days is an unrecoverable amount of time. Most of the time when I sit down with the kids, you find that there is quite a bit of wasted time in class.

I couldn't agree more but I sure wanted to make sure all the bases were covered so there were no repercussions for my son.

 

[Zoomer]

Not a bad idea swift!
I know, I struggled with taking them out this year. Starting in a new school district (because of a move), new teachers, friends etc.
Kids promised me they would have there grades up before we leave, and do home work every day for an hour at DW. (fingers crossed!) I still think that a week with all these differant people is a good learning experience for kids.
How a bout a bug class, they could find and save differant types of bugs, and write about each one (Elk could run this class) :laugh: