Student Attendance

The Manitoba School Attendance Act, Part XIV, Section 260 states that children must be present at school on a regular and timely basis. By law, it is the parents' duty to make sure that their child attends school on a regular basis. The Pembina Trails School Division's attendance policy is available at http://www.pembinatrails.ca/Policy_pdf/Policy%20documents/JE%20Student%20Attendance.pdf#search.  As most extended absences are a matter of choice, we appreciate in advance your understanding that teachers cannot provide individual packages of homework. Teachers, as professionals, continuously assess and adjust the pace and methods of teaching required for their classes to reach the curricular outcomes, making it difficult to gauge what work will be covered during extended absences. In addition, replication of the rich class discussions and group work that take place at school on a daily basis is impossible.="student

Vacations are excellent learning experiences for children and we do not discourage parents from excusing their children from school for a family vacation. Travel is an education in itself. There are many built-in learning opportunities on vacations, from reading tour brochures, maps, and guidebooks to budgeting and calculating distances and travel times, not to mention all that children soak up from new places and cultures. Children can gather brochures, maps, tickets, postcards, artifacts, etc. and make a poster or mini-scrapbook of their trip. Keeping a journal of experiences and personal reflections supports children’s writing skills while away from school and serves as a memory log of their adventure.

Upon returning from an extended absence, it will be at the discretion of the individual teacher regarding which assignments need to be completed. However, it may not be in the best interests of all children to attempt to catch up on all work they have missed. It is important, however, for older children to take the initiative to check with teachers and peers regarding key assignments. While teachers will assist with this, fully re-teaching a particular topic may not be possible. Parental support with schoolwork at home is integral to children’s continued success after returning from an extended absence.

To assist us in working with your child, we ask that you notify the homeroom teacher and the office staff of the dates of any absence as far in advance as possible by phone at 889-6650.