Isn't the weather great!  I absolutely LOVE autumn.  This is the time that reminds me of home - cozy, sweatshirt and football weather, changing leaves, the crispness in the air.  Wait..  That's not Houston!  No, it isn't BUT Houston has it's own fabulous fall weather.  So fabulous that so many of us do like to take our vacations at this time; which brings me to our topic this month - school attendance.  There are so many misconceptions about elementary attendance, especially for Prekinder and Kinder that I'd like to make sure that I inform as many people as I can so that everyone can have a pleasant school experience.

 

Per the Texas Education Code, Chapter 25, once a student starts school in public school, they are required to attend daily.  The Code goes on to state that every child is afforded 9 unexcused absences (for vacations or family functions or for that note that was forgotten), but after 9, the school must file on the parent for not bringing the child to school.  That's pretty harsh, yes...  but they have something there. 

 

There is a correlation between the number of days a student is in school and how well they perform in school.  Let's face it...  there's nothing like direct instruction.  The State wants to ensure that every child has and gets the most out of their school as possible by being present.  We all can completely understand that. We, Wilder, ask that everyone try to understand where we, also, are coming from if they get a letter in the mail regarding absences. 

 

On another similar note, I know with that awesome weather also comes the desire to want to sleep in (adults and children alike!).  Unfortunately, we've seen an outcropping of tardies.  I will be sending a tardy notification to everyone who has had 5 or more tardies.  Generally, after 5 tardies we start to give discipline.  Since I feel like we need to educate everybody about our discipline policy prior to the actual discipline, I will do so. 

 

If a student has 5 tardies, the first thing we do is call the parent and make them aware.  Sometimes, we don't realize we've been tardy that much.  After 10 tardies, we give after school, or before school, office detention, so on and so forth.  I like to talk to the parents way before it ever gets to this point, but here's my plea to you:  Please help spread the word.  My preference is that no one ever gets to the point of discipline.  Not only are we trying to make sure that students are not missing any direct instruction, but we are trying to instill healthy work habits in all of our students, which includes getting places on time.  Please help us with this. 

**There is no wait in the car rider line at 7:30am.  :)

 

Any questions or concerns, please feel free to call me!

Warm Wolf Wishes,

Mrs. Hopkins