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07.09.08, 04:38 AM General Topics
97 replies
wwyd? we got our dd's report card in the mail a few days after school ended. we were, admittedly, chronically late most of the school year but her report card indicated 30 absences!!! Obviously, many days she was late went down as absences... She just finished 3rd grade. Do we try to contact school in the fall to change this or just let it go. I'm not sure which looks worse -- 30 absences or 60 tardies. Do middle schools look at 3rd grade records or just 4th? [ Reply | Watch | Flag ]
General Topics 07.09.08, 04:38 AM Flag
 

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i'd work on getting yourselves to school much earlier. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.09.08, 04:39 AM Flag
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OP: well, obviously. we've moved and are starting a new school this fall that is much closer to our apt. There were other circumstances in the tardies that are also gone now. Anyway, this doesn't help for last year. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.09.08, 04:55 AM Flag
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I doubt the old school will change anything unless you can prove they made a mistake. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.09.08, 04:56 AM Flag
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call the school about the absences...say nothing about the fact that your dd was late but express concern that she was there, noting exacting how many time you think she was absent. Maybe she is cutting classes? [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.09.08, 04:57 AM Flag
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OP: Hmmm. Hadn't thought about her cutting classes. Maybe she's been smoking in the girl's bathroom all year. LOL. (Sorry, this made me laugh -- I guess you missed that this was 3rd grade.) [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.09.08, 05:00 AM Flag
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I didn't miss it....and 1) you never know (I have a 3rd grader myself) 2) this is how you need to position yourself with the school. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.09.08, 05:06 AM Flag
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np- Your third grader skips school? How horrifying to not know where she is. Good luck with that! [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.09.08, 02:57 PM Flag
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What were the circumstances? [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.09.08, 05:08 AM Flag
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that would annoy me. I would bring it up but that's me [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.09.08, 04:49 AM Flag
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Yes, middle schools look at attendence. Your elementary school is also graded on this. I'm a bit confused as to why you have the choice 30 tardy or 60 absences? [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.09.08, 04:51 AM Flag
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that's not the choice -- it was the point that the total number of tardies + absences will not change; just how many of each. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.09.08, 04:58 AM Flag
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oh, I see. Did you not stop by the office and check in on the days you were late? That is the only way to get an absent (which is determined in the morning when your dc is not in classroom) changed to a tardy - when your dc shows up late and the forms have already been sent to the office. If you just tried to "sneak" into classroom without going to the office, then that is what happened. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.09.08, 05:00 AM Flag
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DH dropped her off most mornings, but I assume since you have to sign in and show ID before entering the building that he never did this. The more I think about it, I wonder why no one in the office saw all these absences and called us. I think that's a big error on the school's part. Also, it may be "policy" to check in at the office on the way in, but it's not enforced to any degree and only makes a difference if the attendance sheet had already been sent in. The vast majority of "lates" were in the 5-7 minutes late range. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.09.08, 05:08 AM Flag
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Look, its not the schools problem, its your problem. And they are not the gestapo - its a secretary in an elementary school office. The blame sits clearly on your shoulders, not the school. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.09.08, 05:09 AM Flag
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OK. I don't think it does. But the school will be negatively affected as well so why wouldn't they change it? [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.09.08, 05:13 AM Flag
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Are you for real? Why would they lie? You were late. You did not follow the rules and sign in at the office because you thought five minutes late didn't matter. It does. Because you didn't sign in at the office - your child was marked absent. You want schools to lie for you and falsify government records to help you? Are you for real? Just chalk it up to lesson learned and get your child to school on time this year. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.09.08, 05:17 AM Flag
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np ITA. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.09.08, 05:18 AM Flag
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wait, no one is asking anyone to lie. what is your problem? DD was not absent 30 times (6 weeks!) last year. I'm asking for the records to be corrected. The school's policy is not to go to the office first, otherwise how did DD get into her classroom every day she was late? [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.09.08, 05:20 AM Flag
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OK, then what is your schools policy when you bring your child in late to school? [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.09.08, 05:21 AM Flag
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Well, if it has one, it has not been effectively communicated nor implemented in the 4 years we were at that school. In other words, I don't know. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.09.08, 05:25 AM Flag
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I suspect you were late the day it was explained :) [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.09.08, 05:26 AM Flag
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OP: lol. I'll take that hit. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.09.08, 05:31 AM Flag
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One of my pet peeves is when someone tells me the policy is NOT what I said, but then goes on to tell me they have no idea what the actual policy is [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.09.08, 05:27 AM Flag
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well it really doesn't matter at this point what the policy is, now does it? [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.09.08, 05:30 AM Flag
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of course it matters - do you intend to go into the school, tell them they are at fault and make a total a$$ of yourself when they tell you the policy?? You have a very limited ability to see this situation from any perspective other than your own. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.09.08, 05:36 AM Flag
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[ Removed by moderator ] [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.09.08, 05:40 AM Flag
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Our school policy is if you are late, you go to office for a late pass. That is how they know to change the records from absent to late. And yes, we have a guard at the door too - but that guard as nothing to do with taking attendance. Parents can simply walk right pass the office and drop dd at the classroom, hoping the records haven't been sent to office yet and that teacher will take the time to change them - but I can tell you, a teacher isn't going to do this for someone who is chronically late and doesn't follow the proper procedures. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.09.08, 05:24 AM Flag
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Do you have records at home of all the days dd was late and absent? [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.09.08, 05:25 AM Flag
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late is late. It doesn't matter if its 3 minutes or 30. Your child disrupts the entire class coming in late every morning. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.09.08, 05:11 AM Flag
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What do you mean 'do middle schools look at 3rd grade records' isn't this a public school? [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.09.08, 04:53 AM Flag
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yes, it's a public school. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.09.08, 04:55 AM Flag
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so then why does it matter? [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.09.08, 05:04 AM Flag
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because you apply into middle schools in new york city. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.09.08, 05:16 AM Flag
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into public middle schools? I thought all public school dcs just went to the school closest to their house [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.09.08, 05:20 AM Flag
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Do you live in nyc? [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.09.08, 05:25 AM Flag
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Do you not live in nyc? [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.09.08, 04:56 AM Flag
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np: She may want to test into a citywide middle or high school [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.09.08, 05:05 AM Flag
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I know, the responder doesn't seem to know that attendence records in elementary affect middle school apps. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.09.08, 05:06 AM Flag
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And the school's funding. Unfortunately, OP has already labled herself as a "troublemaker" parent. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.09.08, 05:07 AM Flag
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she's in another school now. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.09.08, 05:08 AM Flag
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But her records followed her. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.09.08, 05:10 AM Flag
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of course they will. You have me confused with the poster who doesn't understand the system. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.09.08, 05:18 AM Flag
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OP: Don't worry, I was a "troublemaker" parent long before this year. Now that I'm thinking about it, since it does affect the report card and therefore the funding, I am wondering why the school isn't more vigilant about their record keeping. You would think they'd want to reduce the absences as much as possible. In fact, last year the school took a hit on their report card over absences, but now I wonder if it was because of shoddy record keeping in the office. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.09.08, 05:11 AM Flag
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so, your child wasn't late as often as they say? [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.09.08, 05:12 AM Flag
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actually, she was late more often than they say. she was absent way less than they say. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.09.08, 05:17 AM Flag
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OP: So middle schools DO look at attendance records for the years before 4th grade? If they don't take that so much into consideration -- and/or assuming 4th grade will be a whole different attendance story -- then I don't know if the hassle of getting it changed is worth it. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.09.08, 05:15 AM Flag
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middle schools look at your entire attenance record. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.09.08, 05:19 AM Flag
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OP: thank you. this is what I wanted to know. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.09.08, 05:21 AM Flag
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I haven't found this to be true - went through public middle school process twice and they ony looked at 4th (and early 5th) grade records. However, absences and latenesses are a HUGE deal for admissions - and even more so for highe school - so you gotta clean them up starting in 4th grade. Schools look at those as indicative of how seriously dc and family take school. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.09.08, 05:39 AM Flag
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not in my experience, only 4th grade [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.09.08, 07:41 AM Flag
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Yes I do, my entire life! [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.09.08, 05:21 AM Flag
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This is actually a big deal. Your school's funding can take a hit, making you very unpopular at the school. Why were you chronically late? If there is an exceptional story (chronically ill sibling, etc), the school will be more likely to help you out. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.09.08, 05:00 AM Flag
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my dd was marked absent more than she was. I brought this up to the teacher. The kids in the class are given the attendence job and I know they aren't perfect (2nd grade)..but I also didn't want her marked absent when she clearly wasn't [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.09.08, 05:03 AM Flag
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Whether you are 5 minutes late, or 15 minutes late, LATE is LATE. I don't understand why some people seem to think that they can set their own schedule when it comes to this sort of thing. I have a friend who is like this, and boy is she in for an awakening in Sept when her dc goes to K. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.09.08, 05:35 AM Flag
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OP: I understand late is late. But late is not "absent." That is my only beef here. DD was recorded absent for days she was late. I'm not making any excuses or shrugging off the tardies at all. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.09.08, 05:42 AM Flag
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np: This is not true actually. Most schools have a grace period (usually 15 minutes) during which you are not marked late. At our school you are supposed to be there at 8:30, but will not be marked late until 8:45. Many families take advantage of the grade period. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.09.08, 08:12 AM Flag
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At our school, it's a 5 minute grace period. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.09.08, 10:55 AM Flag
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OP: Thanks for the responses. I am going to contact the school -- I wonder if anyone is around during the summer. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.09.08, 05:39 AM Flag
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some schools have summer school, and some principals are there this week doing the K assignments. What school? [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.09.08, 05:41 AM Flag
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OP: Now that I'm thinking about this and it's starting to bother me more, I checked the DOE website. Chancellor's regs state that the school needs to call home and/or check up on all absences. I am in no way excusing our very many tardies -- HOWEVER, it's now starting to make me pretty angry that no one at DD's school thought to call or follow up on 30 absences! How can an elementary school ignore if a 3rd grader is supposedly absent that many times with no explanation??? [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.09.08, 05:46 AM Flag
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True, but you would be a lot more sympathetic if your dd were actually there on time on a regular basis. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.09.08, 05:47 AM Flag
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[ Removed by moderator ] [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.09.08, 05:54 AM Flag
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well, if she were on time on a regular basis, then we wouldn't be in this situation, now would we? [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.09.08, 06:59 AM Flag
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You have seen the report card twice during the year already. Did you not notice and question it then???? [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.09.08, 07:22 AM Flag
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Gotta love another example of entitlement run amuck. There are some serious issues if you cannot get your act together by the 4th year of school. Instead of ranting about the "unfair" marking practices why not address whatever pathological issue is damaging your daughters education like this. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.09.08, 05:55 AM Flag
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Wow. You might be projecting a bit onto our situation. We had family circumstances this year that affected everyone. I do not think anything is "unfair" (you use quotes there not sure why since you definitely aren't quoting me and I don't see the irony). Your armchair diagnosis of my pathological state isn't really necessary, LOL. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.09.08, 07:02 AM Flag
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OP believe me that kind of lateness doesn't require armchair diagnosis. When your problems occurred you should have made alternate plans to get your kid to school on time. There are no separate rules for you. In my school this kind of record could well trigger a visit from DSS or at a minimum the school guidance counselor and from the sound of you -- it should have. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.09.08, 07:29 AM Flag
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I agree, actually. And I'm wondering why it didn't. It bothers me that no one in the office noticed. And I really appreciate your monday-morning quarterbacking our school year that you have no details on. Thanks! [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.09.08, 07:34 AM Flag
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amock [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.09.08, 07:40 AM Flag
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amok [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.09.08, 02:56 PM Flag
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How do you function at work? (or did you, before you stayed at home if thtas the case)? [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.09.08, 06:22 AM Flag
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OP: the responders here really don't get it. You aren't asking the school to lie, you are asking the school to correct the record, which will mean that your child's attendance record will show many many tardies instead of many many absences. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.09.08, 07:01 AM Flag
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OP: exactly. I'm glad someone can read! [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.09.08, 07:03 AM Flag
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Hey OP why did you not notice this before? Or have you accumulated 30 absences (oh sorry late arrivals) since the second grading period? BTW, it depends how late you were. If you are very late (like 2 hours) it is marked as absence. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.09.08, 07:24 AM Flag
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OP: Responding here and to a post a little higher. We got a mid-year report, which was not out of whack to this extent -- at least it didn't jump out. And there were definitely more tardies the second half of the year than the first. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.09.08, 07:38 AM Flag
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np: but why all the tardies? what was going on? [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.09.08, 07:40 AM Flag
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Actually, 60 days late will look horrible to any middle school and if selective school I would not be surprised if your dc was passed over because of this. It's way out of normal range, way way out. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.09.08, 07:25 AM Flag
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well then those chips will fall as they may. but if she'll be passed over based on her third grade attendance record, i would prefer it be accurate -- for tardies not absences. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.09.08, 07:32 AM Flag
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middle schools only look at 4th grade absence and tardy, so get your act together. anything more than 10 will count against your child when you go to apply to middle...whether or not you try to correct this past year's is up to you, but I'd think it would be more trouble for all involved than it's worth [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.09.08, 07:36 AM Flag
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OP: this is all I was initially asking about, whether or not it's worth the trouble to correct. 4th grade will not be a problem as things are back to normal and have made changes. However, as posters here reminded me the absences negatively affect the school so I may contact them to see if they can do anything to change it on their behalf. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.09.08, 07:42 AM Flag
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I think that's a good plan. They can decide whether they want to bother...because it will probably involve contacting her teacher and the teacher might not have accurate records. yada, yada [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.09.08, 07:46 AM Flag
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OR above who posted that responders didn't get it: I also have a 3rd grader and have been told middle schools look at those records, but I do think 4th grade is much more important. Also, I wonder if absences are actually better than tardies? Even if they don't tell you so -- what if your kid gets sick for 2 weeks and has to miss 10 days of school? Sometimes that really does happen and it's no reflection on the parents or kids. I'm not sure the middle schools really do take absences in 4th grade as their primary decision unless they are very excessive, as it would be ridiculous to punish a smart, good student who happened to get sick alot one winter. I've had years where dc seemed to catch everything, and years where dc only got sick on school vacations :( If I were a middle school administrator, I'd rather have some absences than a family that sent dc to school with fever brought down by tylenol (which many parents do) instead of waiting the 24-hr fever-free rule. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.09.08, 07:59 AM Flag
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I wonder this a little too -- which is worse, the tardies or the absences. I guess we'll find out! [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.09.08, 08:04 AM Flag
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don't kid yourself about the impact of absences/tardies. MS's have a shitload of kids winnow out and that is definitely a deciding factor. At least that was how it was presented to us by our PS AND by every middle school we toured, which were quite a few [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.09.08, 08:09 AM Flag
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Not a deciding factor but it does matter. If your dc gets sick for a couple weeks it is not the end, though ideall not getting sick is better of course. However, if you are late more than 2-3 days it does reflect on your attitude toward the school which is never good. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.09.08, 08:14 AM Flag
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But that's my point -- of course constant tardiness matters, but being sick is something that can't be helped. I doubt middle schools expect kids not to ever get sick. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.09.08, 09:17 AM Flag
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your expectations are irrelevant. the fact is they look at absences. I would assume that if there was a prolonged illness your PS guidance counselor would pass that info onto the DOE [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.09.08, 09:39 AM Flag
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Well, it's one stupid middle school administrator who can't understand that kids get sick who don't have "prolonged illnesses". I repeat -- I HATE parents who give their kids a dose of motrin and send them to school with a fever. I guess I should start doing that with my ds if he's sick so he isn't absent and miss out on a good middle school. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.09.08, 10:15 AM Flag
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I think you're being a bit melodramatic [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.09.08, 11:09 AM Flag
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Middle schools don't look at 3rd grade records, only 4th grade, and 5th grade. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.09.08, 08:38 AM Flag
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Public schools qualify for funding based on attendance -- if your child isn't there for morning attendance, the school loses financial funding. Sounds like it's not the school's reporting, but your early morning routine that needs to be addressed. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.09.08, 09:42 AM Flag
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ITA. Our school tries to minimize latenesses by sending in the attendance report in the mid-morning for this reason. I would guess your lateness would have to be fairly significant for them to mark you down since it also hurts the school. Very possible that this is a mistake, since I really would think that the person in chanrge of attendance at the school would have tracked you down long ago. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.09.08, 10:00 AM Flag
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Yes, middle schools will absolutely look at absences and tardies and it will hurt her chance for admission. Signed, A Middle School Teacher [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.09.08, 10:17 AM Flag
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No middle school that my kids applied for asked for or saw the third grade report card. Just the 4th grade and 5th grade (and yes, for those grades attendance and tardiness mattered a lot). [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.09.08, 10:35 AM Flag
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Unless the middle school is a G&T school, they're not allowed to ask for your report card or see grades, attendance, etc. G&Ts can screen this info, but generall just want to see the 4th grade final report card and the first period fifth grade report card. I work for the DOE and know of no school that wants your 3rd grade card. HOWEVER, you need to change your ways starting right off in 4th grade or there is no explaining you can do to keep this from following your kid. Even non-specialized, but screened High Schools will look at 4th grade on for attendance to see trends. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.09.08, 05:07 PM Flag
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hey middle school teacher: for 4th and 5th grade or 3rd grade? [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.09.08, 02:52 PM Flag
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In our school every 3 tardies goes down as an absence. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.09.08, 10:24 AM Flag
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