My child has had cold after cold this year on top of the flu… i let him stay home if he is miserable and cant stop coughing or he has a fever…its prob been 8 times already this year…but a day at a time (headache/stomachace/cough) the last week it was 3 days because he had the flu and the school is trying to say i never go thim excused when I called every single day…what can I do about this?
Idk it gets to a point with these schools where you just have to send them sick and have them go to the nurse to prove they are sick and to show attendance.
If he seen a doctor get a doctors excuse and take to the school
Doctor documentation…
I know the schools my kids attend required a note from the Dr or just one from the parent even if you called .For the absence to be excused. Just calling isn’t enough. They have to have a note.
Our school district. Unless there’s a Dr’s note. The absences are unexcused… whether the parent sends a note or not… if recommend if he’s got a low immune system… work with the guidance counselor to get a 504 plan…
Here’s what you need to understand about school absence policies: In general…Your child is allowed to have only so many unexcused absences per semester.
you calling is not an excused absence. It’s considered an unexcused absence. You can tell them your child is sick all you want but your word unfortunately isn’t proof of illness.
If your child visited the doctor during any of these illnesses, then go back to the doctor and get a note.
If your child did not visit the doctor during any of these illnesses, then you may just have to go through whatever they need you to do and from this point produce a note if your child needs to stay home.
Sometimes you can just call your doctor and say “kid has these symptoms. I don’t think he needs to come in yet but we do need a doctor’s note for the school”
I know a lot of people think it’s ridiculous and sometimes it is. But…schools unfortunately have seen some bad situations with kids. Parents keeping kids home due to neglect or abuse.
Refusing to take their sick kid to the doctor so the kid doesn’t get better ect.
It’s a hassle for you but it’s something in place to help protect vulnerable kids.
I’ll add here too:
I got a letter letting me know my kiddo had hit 4 absences this year and reminding us of the absence policies.
He had a fever one day and I kept him home. Then we had to travel 5 hours for him to have eye surgery.
We went up the day before so he missed that day (unexcused) the day of surgery (a Friday) was excused. Then he missed the following Monday (so we could get accomodations set up for him during post op period) the note had given us enough leeway this too was an excused absence.
It was just something that comes out automatically once so many days are missed.
The school knew about the surgery.
They knew about our plans to go up the day before. And we even told them we were going to treat him to a “fun” day in the city and they agreed it was a good idea. They weren’t judging at all… but it was still officially unexcused.
I send mine and have the nurse call me lol they get more dismissals then they do tarsus or absences . Usually they don’t even record the dismissal
My son’s school tells me a doctor’s excuse is still an absence, so whether I call him in excused or he’s absent with a doctor’s note, it’s still an absence. So I don’t bother unless they ask or if I ever need our doctor is aware of everything and I have all the documentation needed.