I hope you and your family are settled in after the holidays. This is the time of year when winter takes a toll on school attendance. Snow and slushy weather can keep parents from getting their children to school. So can the colds, fevers and earaches that often come with the winter months.
These absences, even if they are excused, can add up to academic trouble. If it is a snowy or rainy day but school is still open, students miss out on learning if they aren’t in class. These absences can result in lower test scores and grades.
There’s not much we can do about the weather, but there are two key steps every family can take to help avoid absences this year.
- Develop back up plans for getting your children to school in winter weather. That could mean checking with other families who have a car that can manage in the snow or forming a “walking school bus” to walk your children to school with other parents. If you’re stuck, call the school. We can connect you with other parents or staff members who can help.
- Keep your children healthy. Dress them warmly for the cold weather and make sure they’ve got hats and gloves. Encourage them to wash their hands regularly and send them to school with a bottle of hand sanitizer. If your children do get sick, talk to a doctor or the school nurse about whether they should come to school and when it is okay for them to return.
Above all, let us know how we can help. We want your children and all our students to succeed. And that means attending school every day possible. Need help getting to school? Whether it’s an alarm clock issue, a transportation issue, or anything else, we’ve got you covered. Send a message to Liz Zilinski, ezilinski@gstcontractors.com, and we’ll get you what you need to make sure your little ones make it to school on time, every time.
When my little one has a wet cough but no fever, I send her to school in a face mask so she doesn’t hack all over everybody or do that thing where she directs her sneeze up and over her “chicken wing” and right into your face. I purchased some on Amazon that are cute and washable. Consider something similar for your little dude.