Every Day Counts: Starting the Year Strong

Good afternoon, FESD families! We've had great attendance to start the year. Thank you for ensuring your students have been to school every day and on time.  Coming to school regularly is one of the biggest reasons kids succeed — even more important than test scores or family income. Attendance is the foundation.

What Is "Chronic Absence"?

In California, a student is "chronically absent" if they miss 10% or more of the school year — about 18 days, or 2 days a month. This counts every absence, even excused ones like sick days or trips. Last year, about 1 in 5 California students missed this much school. 

Why Attendance Matters

For learning:

• Missing class means missing new and fun lessons and activities — makeup work isn't the same.
• Missing a lot of school in the early grades makes it harder to read well by 3rd grade.
• Missed school adds up over the years, making learning gaps bigger.
• When many students are absent, teachers spend more time reviewing, which slows the whole class down.

For feelings and friendships:

• Being away a lot can make it harder to make friends and feel part of the class.
• Missing school for anxiety can make anxiety worse, since coming back feels harder each time.
• Regular attendance helps kids build routines and confidence.

Planning Trips and Appointments

• Check the attached school calendar before booking trips. Try to travel during school breaks when possible.
• Book check-ups and dentist visits during breaks, or before/after school hours.
• If an appointment needs to be scheduled during the school day, please bring your child to school before and after the appointment, rather than missing the whole day.
• Let the teacher know about planned absences ahead of time so they can help your child keep up.

When to Keep Your Child Home Sick

Keep them home if they have:

• A fever of 100.4°F or higher
• Thrown up more than once in the last 24 hours
• Diarrhea that's frequent or causing accidents
• Symptoms too severe to take part in class (very tired, bad cough, trouble breathing)
• A contagious illness like strep throat (ask your doctor when it's safe to return)

It's OK to send them to school with:

• A runny nose, sneezing, or mild congestion (no fever)
• A mild cough or scratchy throat
• Mild aches, no fever
• A mild headache (with no stiff neck or head injury)

Returning after being sick: 
Kids can usually go back once they've had no fever for 24 hours (without medicine) and are feeling better. When unsure, ask your doctor or call the school office, or refer to the attached guidance from the CA Dept. of Public Health.

Even on days when they feel sick at first but start to feel better, send them to school a bit late. That's better than missing a full day of instruction.

Absence Reporting

When your child must miss school due to illness or family emergencies, timely communication with the main office is essential.

• 5-Day Limit: All absences must be reported and verified with the school within FIVE school days.
• Truancy Notice: Absences that are not communicated or verified within 5 days cannot be cleared retroactively and will automatically be classified as truancy.

The Bottom Line

We're not expecting perfect attendance. An attendance rate of 95% or higher is the goal. Just plan around breaks when you can, keep truly sick kids home, send mildly sick kids in, and talk to us early if attendance gets hard.

• Try to keep absences to fewer than two a month.
• If your child misses the same day each week, let the teacher know — it might point to something we can fix together.
• If attendance becomes hard for any reason (health, housing, transportation), reach out early. We're here to help!

Thank you for helping us make this a great year for your child!

Questions about your child's attendance? Contact the front office or your child's teacher anytime.

Tim Grimmett
FESD Attendance Supervisor, Community Schools Coordinator