Mountain View Teachers strive to meet the diverse
learning needs of our students. Students do not all learn at the
same pace for each new skill taught and our teachers work hard
to help each student maintain pace with the grade level
curriculum. Some students may need additional teaching while
others may move forward quickly. This varies from student to
student on each concept taught. Our teachers do an amazing job
juggling all these variables.
When students who were absent because they were sick
return to school, teachers have to adjust their day to help that
student catch up. That is part of the job and teachers accept
that as reality. However, when the number of absences are too
great the system breaks down and the learning for all students is
negatively affected.
Anything you can do to improve your student’s attendance
would be greatly appreciated and benefit not just your child but
his or her class as well. Obviously, you should keep your child
home when they are sick. However, maybe those three-day
weekends or trips to Anchorage could wait until there are
vacation days. Maybe those family vacations could be planned
around the school calendar. Missed the bus or car didn’t start,
bring your student to school as soon as possible, better late than
not at all. Schedule those student appointments on non-school
days or after school. If you must schedule appointments on
schooldays, send your child to school for whatever part of the
day that you can.
The list of how you can help improve attendance is long
and I know that sometimes you “gotta do what you gotta do” but
any help you give us to increase overall attendance would be a
big help to teachers and increase learning for all students.