FATHER DANIEL ZANON SCHOOL NEWSLETTER
Se ptem be r2 015
LET HIS LIGHT SHINE
PRAYER FOR THE BEGINNING OF THE NEW SCHOOL YEAR
450 Hillcrest Avenue
Mississauga, ON L5B 4J3
905-279-3722
A. Reilly
Principal
R. Patterson
Vice-Principal
S. DeMaestri
Head Secretary
T. Lariviere
Superintendent of Schools
905-890-1221
M. Pascucci
Trustee, Board Chair
C: 905-302-3096
B: 905-890-0708 x 20161
F: 905-890-0888
E: mario.pascucci@dpcdsb.org
W: www.TrusteePascucci.ca
B. Iannicca
Trustee, Ward 7
B: 905-890-1221
Fr. Camillo Lando
Pastor
St. Catherine of Siena
Parish Church
905-272-1451
REMINDERS
Friday, September
18th, 2015 - P.A. Day
NO SCHOOL FOR
STUDENTS
DearLord,aswebeginthisnewschoolyear,wegather
onceagainasyourcommunityofbelievers.
Wethankyoufortheenergyandthespiritthatyourenewed
inusthroughthesummermonths.
Wethankyouforthetimetoenjoyourfamilyand
friendsandtoreflectonwhatisimportantinourlives.
Letthisyearbemarkedbyenthusiasmandlovesothat,
withtheinspirationofyourSpirit,wemaycontinue
togrowinourfaith.
HelpustofulfillYourhopeforuswithhonestintentions
andworksoffaith.
Letusbegentlewithourselvesandbringlaughter,joy
andlovetoothers.
Weaskthisinyourname.
Amen.
Virtue for September: Faith
Afaithfulpersonbelievesthatwearecreated,guidedbyanddestinedtobe
reunitedwithGod.
AfaithfulpersonbelievesthatGodhelpsustocreateasafeandcaringschool.
AFaithfulperson…
 prayswhenevertheycan
 learnsfromScripturestories
 assumesthatthereisgoodineveryone
 knowsthatwearealllovedbyGod
OurDailyPrayerforSeptember
Letusnowpray…forthegraceandstrengthtobepeopleoffaith‐peoplewho
cantrulybelievethatGod’splanforusincludestherighttobesafeatschool.
AMEN
Page 2 of 6
Father Daniel Zanon School Newsletter
Father Daniel
Zanon School Newsletter
ST. TIMOTHY SCHOOL
NEWSLETTER
Principal’s Message
As the new school year begins, I would
like to extend a warm welcome to the
new families in our school community
and to welcome all students who are
returning to Father Daniel Zanon. We
extend a special greeting to all of our
Junior Kindergarten students who will be
attending school for the first time.
Welcome back to all staff, who have
been working diligently, to prepare their
classrooms for the coming school year.
We welcome back Mrs. Perestrelo who
will be teaching grade 7 this year and
welcome two new staff members – Mr.
Ceccanese teaching the grade 5/6 class
and Mr. Sellarajah will be the DECE
partnering with Ms. Soares in the FDK
classroom.
Our custodial staff, Mr. Borges and Mr.
Melnitchouk have been diligently
preparing the school for our September
opening. My heartfelt appreciation is
extended to each of them. Thanks are
also extended to Mrs. DeMaestri for her
work in organizing the school so that we
experience a smooth start to the year.
As we anticipate the successes of the
year ahead, I encourage you to remember
that each success will be the result of the
mutual support and respect we as parents
and educators extend to each other as we
work together for children. Our school
community is strengthened through our
partnerships with our parish team, our
active Catholic School Council, and our
trustee, Bruno Iannicca.
Our students respond respectfully and
enthusiastically to each faith and school
initiative; this can only be attributed to
the values modeled by their parents and
guardians.
We look forward to the coming school
year,
A. Reilly
Information
The release date for EQAO results
from the 2014-15 school year is
delayed to mid November.
School Organization & Classroom Information
During the first few weeks of school, the
If necessary, reorganization of classes will
take place on Friday, September 18, 2015.
If your child’s class placement changes,
you will be notified in writing on Monday,
September 21, 2015.
Any changes required will be made
with the best interest of your children in
our minds. Staff spends many hours in
discussion, reflection, revision and
consideration of alternatives, to arrive at
the best organization for each class.
school's enrolment, which was based on a
projected total, undergoes changes and
fluctuations. Therefore, as we start the
year, all class lists and staffing are tentative
until numbers are sent to our school board.
Each year Father Daniel Zanon has
faced some sort of reorganization of classes
to accommodate for changes due to growth
and/or transfers.
School Hours
Supervision begins in school yard: 8:45
Entry:
9:00
Recess: 11:05 – 11:20
Lunch:
12:00 – 1:00
Recess:
2:25 – 2:40
Dismissal: 3:30
For the safety of your child(ren) we ask
that you DO NOT drop your child off at
school prior to 8:45am and arrange for
pick-up PROMPTLY at 3:30pm.
Student Attendance & Professional Activity Day
As in past years, we ask that parents
continue to notify/call the school in the
event of a student absence or late. This
greatly assists our safe arrival program.
The attendance line is available 24 hours
a day to report absences. Please call
905‐279‐3722. Leave the following information on the
voicemail:
a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
Date of absence
Student’s full name
Grade and Teacher
Reason
Date of return.
When a student is late to school, they must
report to the office to sign-in prior to going
to class.
Please note that a Professional Activity
Day is scheduled for September 18th.
Students do not attend school on this date.
This date has been designated for teachers
and support staff to be involved in faithbased activities and curriculum
development. Duties related to school
organization may also be carried out.
Volunteers & Visitors to Father Daniel Zanon
For the safety of staff and students, all
visitors to our school (including parents)
are required to enter the building
through the front doors of the school
and report immediately to the office.
Please note that pets are not permitted
on school property at any time.
Any individual who works as an employee of
the Board or volunteers to assist with our
programs MUST have a Criminal Reference
Check (CRC) completed by the Peel Regional
Police. For volunteers, CRC are free of
charge. Forms are provided through the
office.
Please ensure you sign-in and obtain a
visitor’s sticker if you are remaining in
the building for any reason during
school hours.
*Please note that in keeping with the Safe
Schools Act, volunteers will not be allowed
to assist with supervision on
trips/excursions unless they have the
criminal reference checks done.*
Father Daniel Zanon School Newsletter
Page 32 of
of 65
Page
Annual Open House & BBQ / Catholic School Council
*
Our annual Open House and BBQ will be
held on October 1, 2015 from 5:30 – 7:30
p.m. Please mark this date on your calendars
and plan to attend to meet your child’s
teacher, socialize with members of the Father
Daniel Zanon community and enjoy a BBQ.
Nomination forms for membership in the Father
Daniel Zanon Catholic School Council are now
available in the office. You can pick up a form
or send a note to your child’s teacher indicating
that you would like a form. Please consider
joining us this year.
Tuesday, September 22, 2015 – Catholic
School Council meeting will take place
following elections at 7:00 pm.
Order forms and more information will be
sent home on Monday, September 21st..
Our opening school
mass will be held on
September 17th at
9:30am at school.
ALL ARE WELCOME!
Sacramental Preparation
Transportation, STOPR & Courtesy Seats
All bus information for the current school
year is posted on the front windows of the
school. Transportation eligibility is
determined via the Board Bus policy.
Transportation EAST: 905-890-6000
Special Education Trans.: 905-890-6362
To determine if your son or daughter is
eligible for transportation, please visit
Information regarding this policy as well as
https://businfo.stopr.ca/
current route information is available through
the STOPR website: www.stopr.ca. You
Courtesy Seat requests will not be processed
may also contact the Transportation
until mid October and are based on seat
Department via the following contact
availability.
numbers:
Catholic School Code of Conduct
forthcoming. In the interim, ALL PEDs are
to be kept OFF and OUT OF SIGHT during
school hours. For the safety of students and
protection of these valuable devices, we
kindly request that these devices remain at
home and are not brought to school. The
school will not be held responsible for
damaged or lost items.
Students should not bring any other valuables
To promote and maintain a positive and safe
or items of importance to school. This
Catholic school climate, the Board maintains
includes trading cards, expensive sports
a policy regarding all Personal Electronic
equipment, toys, etc. The school cannot
Devices (PEDs). The DPCDSB has updated
assume responsibility for valuables brought to
and modified their PED Policy. Details are
school. All students in the school will be reviewing
the Catholic Code of Conduct with classroom
teachers over the first two weeks of school.
This information can be found in the front of
the student agendas. We kindly ask that you
review these policies with your son or
daughter to ensure consistent expectations at
home and school.
Parishioners of St. Catherine of Siena
are asked to review information
provided in the parish bulletin for
specific information throughout the
year. All meetings will be held at the
Church.
Important Dates:
First Holy Communion
Registration: Dec. 7th &
Dec. 9th , 2015 at 7:30 pm in
Main Hall of Church
Celebration: Apr. 30th, 2016
at 3:00 pm
First Reconciliation
Celebration: Mar. 8th, 2016
at 6:45 pm
Confirmation
Grade 7
Registration: Feb. 1st & 3rd,
2016, at 7:30 pm Main Hall
of Church
Celebration: June 2nd, 2016
at 6:00 pm
Grade 8
Registration: June 15th &
17th, 2015 at 7:30 pm Main
Hall of Church
Celebration:
Celebration: Dec. 3rd, 2015
at 6:00 pm
Parking Lot Safety and Kiss ‘n’ Ride
Thank you to the many parents who continue to follow the safety guidelines for the drop off and pick up of children. These
guidelines are in place to keep all children safe:
The KISS and RIDE LANE is designed to be a quick and convenient method to drop off children at school, without the need to park or
leave your vehicle. Parking in the Kiss and Ride Lane is prohibited. Illegally parked vehicles pose a danger to students and
pedestrians. Parking in the school driveway is prohibited. Parking in the bus loading/unloading zone is prohibited.
If you wish to walk your child to class or the schoolyard, please park in a designated parking spot or on the road. Please be advised that
the City of Mississauga Parking Enforcement will intermittently be present to heighten safety awareness during peak drop off and pick
up times.
Thank you for your support and cooperation in making our school the safest it can possibly be for our students!
Father Daniel Zanon School Newsletter
Page 4 of 6
School Agendas & Textbooks
School agendas have been ordered for
students in Grades 1—8 to assist your child
in organizing his/her time. The teachers will
be reviewing the importance of the agenda
with their students. Your child is responsible
for recording their homework, upcoming
projects/assignments, tests/quizzes, important
dates and teacher communication on a daily
basis. We ask that you check your child’s
agenda on a daily basis to keep informed of
school and classroom events. A note will be
sent home with the agenda to describe its use
and cost. Textbooks for course subjects are
loaned out to students with the
expectation that they are returned at the
end of the school year in good
condition. The teachers keep a record
of each textbook that are assigned to
students. Please help to keep our costs
down by encouraging your child to take
proper care of them. There will be a
replacement cost to the student if the
textbook is damaged, lost or not
returned to the school.
Student Information & Administration of Medication
Parents are responsible for ensuring the school
has an accurate and up-to-date record of your
address, phone numbers and emergency
contacts for your child(ren). We ask that you
inform the main office or your child’s teacher
if information changes during the course of
the school year. There is a Board policy on the
storage and administration of medication.
Where a student is required to take medication
at school, medication forms must be
completed by you and your physician prior to
the storage and administration of any
prescribed medication by the school. Forms
are available in the main office.
It is crucial that you notify the office in
writing if your child has any serious
health concerns. The storage and administration of an
Epi-Pen requires additional forms to be
completed by physicians. The forms are
available from the school.
For students who attended Father Daniel
Zanon last year, forms were sent home in
June 2015.
Please return these
completed forms with your child’s
medication as soon as possible. If we do
not receive them, the school will contact
you. MedicAlert’s No Child Without Program
The No Child Without program offers a free MedicAlert
membership to students who attend our school and are
between the ages of 4 up to and including their 14th
birthday. If your child has a medical condition, allergy
or is required to take medication on a regular basis, then
you should consider a MedicAlert membership through
this program. MedicAlert is your child’s voice in an
emergencyl
MedicAlert Membership;
 Gives emergency first responders immediate access to your child’s medical
information on their MedicAlert bracelet or necklet
 Enables first responders to quickly obtain up to date medical information by
means of the Child’s Electronic Health Record through the 24 Hour
Emergency Hotline.
 Communicates with the parent or emergency contact upon activation of the
Hotline
 Allows free updates of the child’s medical record as needed

MedicAlert can alert school staff, friends, coaches and others about your child’s
medical condition should an emergency occur.
To register and/or for further information, come to the office for a brochure or go to
www.nochildwithout.ca
Head Injuries
Based on the Board Concussion Policy
and Guidelines, it is a requirement that
should your child receive any type of head
injury during the school day, the office
staff will contact you and inform you of
the injury and the incident will be entered
into the school’s “Documentation of Head
Injuries” log. Your child will also be sent
home with an information pamphlet
entitled “We want to give you a heads up
…Concussions are serious.”
This
pamphlet outlines the signs and symptoms
of concussions and includes what you can
do if you suspect your child has a
concussion and the treatment plan to
follow. For further information, please
contact your child’s school.
Adults in the School Yard
We understand that
parents/guardians/caregivers are
committed to ensuring the safe arrival of
children to school. However, from a
safety perspective, having adults in the
school yard before school inhibits the
staff’s ability to monitor the yard for
strangers. Supervision of students, by
school staff, begins at 8:45 am. No
children should be in the school yard
before this time. Please note that no
adults, other than school staff, will be
permitted in the school yard from 8:45
am—3:30 pm. Parents/guardians of
children in Full Day Kindergarten are to
escort their child to the outside door of
their classroom through the kindergarten
yard between 8:45 and 9:00 am. This
protocol is established to better safeguard
your children. Pets on School Property
There are no pets allowed on school
property during the school day. This
includes drop off and pick up times.
Please call the school if you have any
questions regarding this Board policy.
Page 5 of 6
Father Daniel Zanon School Newsletter
Fire Drill & Lock Down Procedures
Father Daniel Zanon School is required to
conduct three fire drills in the fall and three in
the spring. We will also be conducting two
lockdown drills throughout the year. These
drills are standard practice across the Board and
ensure that in the event of a real emergency our
students and staff can respond quickly and
appropriately. If you have any questions or
concerns regarding these drills, please speak to
your child’s teacher or the main office.
Custody of Children
On rare occasions, we are faced with difficult
situations in which non-custodial
parents/guardians arrive at school asking to visit a
student or sign them out. We are best able to
serve and protect our students when we are made
aware of legal custody arrangements, visitation
rights and other special circumstances. Please
inform the main office of these issues as soon as
possible and we will ensure your child’s teacher
is aware of the arrangements that may affect your
child during school hours.
Immunizations – Hepatitis B & HPV
Peel Public Health will offer free immunizations against
Hepatitis B for students in grade 7. The immunizations
will be given twice over a six month period. Female
Grade 8 students will also be given an opportunity to
receive the HPV inoculation.
Any questions or concerns regarding these
vaccinations should be directed to the Peel Public
Health Department at 905-799-7700.
Important Dates:
November 17, 2015 – Hep. B (1st dose),
Meningitis and HPV
Pizza Days
THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!
Pizza Days will once again be organized for our
students on Tuesdays. Gino’s Pizza will be our
new provider this school year. Our first Pizza Day
will be held on Tuesday, September 29, 2015.
We wish to extend our gratitude to our school and
parent community for the generous support given to
our ShareLife and St. Catherine of Siena church
initiatives last school year. In total, $2, 781.23 was
raised for ShareLife and $1,000 was donated to the
church to support repairs due to vandalism
Before And After School Care - PLASP
PLASP Child Care Services operates Before and After
School Programs at our School. The Before School
Program operates from 7:30 a.m. until school begins. A
nutritious breakfast is served daily. The After School
Program begins once school has ended for the day and
runs until 6:00 p.m. Children are involvd in recreational
activities, are served a nutritious snack and have time to
complete homework.
Fee assistance is available.
To register your child, visit the PLASP Program Director,
before or after school. For further information you may
call 905 890-1711 or visit the website at www.plasp.com
Father Daniel Zanon School Website
Parents and students are encouraged to visit our Father
Daniel Zanon School website. You will find valuable
information which includes school news, School Council
items, updates, upcoming events and more. The site’s
address is www.dpcdsb.org/zanon.
NOTICE – CONSTRUCTION TO TAKE PLACE
AT BRICKYARD PARK
Construction will begin in Brickyard Park at 3061
Clayhill Road – south of Father Daniel Zanon School starting on September 28, 2015 until October 16,
2015. Temporary safety fencing will be erected
around all open excavation sites and motorized
equipment will be controlled by flagmen. Students
should be advised that when moving through the park,
they should stay clear of the construction activities.
DPCDSB is now on Twitter! For the latest board news and information, follow us @DPCDSBSchools Page
Page 66 of
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FatherDaniel
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ZanonSchool
SchoolNewsletter
Newsletter
Lunch Procedures & Allergy Awareness
Please be reminded that the school lunch
hour is 12:00 -1:00pm. Permission forms
indicating your son or daughter’s usual
lunch routine (i.e., remain at school or go
home for lunch) will be sent out shortly.
Please ensure this form is returned to the
school promptly. Supervision will be
provided throughout the lunch hour for
those students who remain at school.
For students who will be signing out on
occasion but do not normally do so,
WRITTEN PERMISSION WILL BE
REQUIRED FOR EACH TIME THE
STUDENT LEAVES THE SCHOOL
GROUNDS. As many of you are aware,
we have several staff and students who
have severe, life-threatening allergies to
peanuts, tree nuts, shellfish, insect stings,
etc.
Anaphylaxis is a severe and lifethreatening reaction caused by even very
small quantities of the allergen.
Please notify the office immediately if your
son or daughter has a life-threatening allergy
and follow the procedure for medication
administration.
We require all members of our
community to continue their cooperation
in this regard by ensuring all
snacks/lunches sent to school are peanut,
tree nut and shellfish allergen-free. Also,
we would appreciate if imitation peanut
products were not sent to school since they
may cause unnecessary anxiety and
confusion. We also ask that food products
not be brought in to the classroom for
sharing purposes during in-class celebrations
(e.g., student birthdays). We suggest,
instead, that you consider non-food items
like pencils or stickers. We thank you for
your support as we work diligently to ensure
the safety of all students at school.
Student Accident Insurance
The Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School
Board annually provides parents with
information regarding cost-effective student
accident insurance coverage.
Although enrolment is voluntary, the Board
encourages parents to take advantage of
this inexpensive insurance coverage,
especially if your child(ren) participate in
sports, excursions/field trips, other extracurricular activities and/or if parents do
not have dental insurance coverage.
Brochures for Reliable Life Insurance
will be sent home in the very near
future. Enrolment in the program is
required in writing. Please follow the
instructions in the brochure.
Further information regarding this
insurance can be obtained by
contacting Reliable Life Insurance at
1-800-463-KIDS (5437) or by visiting:
www.insuremykids.com
DPCDSB has a scent
sensitivity
awareness
campaign that provides
information
regarding
allergies
to
scented
products.
For
more
information about scent
sensitivity, please visit:
www.dpcdsb.org
DATES TO REMEMBER
SEPTEMBER
17th – Opening School Mass
9:30am – at school
18th – P.A. Day
No school for students
22nd – Catholic School
Council elections and
meeting @7:00 p.m.
24th – Picture Day
29th - Pizza Day
Virtues Assembly at
2:45
OCTOBER
1st – Open House and BBQ
5:30 – 7:30 P.M.
Oct. 12th – Thanksgiving Day
No school for
students
Picture Day
Terry Fox Run/Walk
Homework Policy
Please be advised that teachers at Father Daniel
Zanon will adhere to the Dufferin-Peel Catholic
District School Board policy on Homework –
Kindergarten to Grade 12. In particular, the
policy states that homework shall not be assigned
to students in kindergarten. Homework in the
early grades (Grades 1-3) shall more often take
the form of reading, playing, discussing, listening,
viewing, and interactive activities such as
building and cooking with the family. In later
grades (Grades 4 to 6) homework may take the
form of independent work, with a maximum of 40
minutes per day, and a maximum of 60 minutes
per day on average for intermediate students.
A summary of the policy can be found in your
child’s agenda (Grades 1 to 8).
Scent Sensitivity
Awareness
Our school picture day will be held
on
Thursday, September 24, 2015.
All JK to Grade 8 students will
have their picture taken at some
point during the day. If your child
is absent from school on this date, a
“re-take” day will occur on
November 4, 2015.
Proofs will be provided to the
school and sent home for ordering
purposes within a few weeks of the
picture day.
Once again this year the staff and
students of Father Daniel Zanon are
very proud to be active participants
in the annual Terry Fox Walk/Run
for Cancer Research.
We are aware that this cause is near
and dear to the hearts of many in
our community and we are asking
that all students donate a toonie
($2) in support of this event. The
event will be held on Wednesday,
September 30th shortly after
9:00am. Further information will
follow.
Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board 40 Matheson Boulevard West, Mississauga, ON, L5R 1C5, Tel: (905) 891221
September 8, 2015
Dear Parents/Guardians:
RE:
Elementary School Organization Plans for 2015-2016
As you know, the provincial government has imposed a cap on the maximum number of
students that may be enrolled in primary classes (Grade 1 to Grade 3). Primary classes
are capped at 20 students. For many schools, this will mean smaller primary class
sizes. In rare instances a small number of classes may have a maximum of 23
students. The exception to this cap, of course, is the Full Day Early Learning
Kindergarten Program. The Board average in such classes is 26 students.
The provincial government also requires that the size of Grades 4 to 8 classes not
exceed a boardwide average of 24.5 students. Because this is an average, not a cap,
some classes in these grades will have more than 25 students, and others will have
less.
Parents/Guardians should know that grade/class reorganization for September will be
necessary in order to meet these government-mandated requirements. While lowering
class size is positive, this initiative can lead to a number of combined grade classes in
many schools. Teachers will be provided with the resources needed to ensure
appropriate curriculum delivery for all students assigned to their classes.
All school organization plans are subject to review in early September, based on actual
enrolment. Where a need to adjust class plans is identified due to unanticipated
enrolment fluctuations, reorganization will be implemented effective September 18,
2015. The effect of school reorganization may result in your child moving from one
class to another. Where such is the case, your principal will keep you duly informed.
The Ministry of Education publication “An Introduction to Combined Grades” provides
information for parents/guardians regarding combined grade classes and is attached
for your additional information and reference.
Kindly be assured that the Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board will continue,
as always, to provide quality education for all students entrusted in its care.
Yours sincerely,
Sheila McWatters
Associate Director, Instructional Services
FACT SHEET FOR PARENTS OF ELEMENTARY SCHOOL‐AGE CHILDREN Why is it important for my child to be in school every day?  Your child’s school is dedicated to helping your son or daughter develop the spiritual, intellectual, aesthetic, emotional, social and physical capabilities to live fully and to meet the future challenges of adult roles and responsibilities. o Is this what you want for your child? Most parents would emphatically answer, “Yes!” The school can best contribute to your child’s education and development when you form a partnership with them.  As parents you have many responsibilities towards your child. One responsibility is to ensure that your child is in school every day, ready to learn. In fact, it is the law. The Provincial Education Act states that every child between the ages of 6 and 18 is required to attend school every day from the first school day in September until the last school day in June.  Parents and schools can work together to keep kids in school. One of the most important first steps is for parents to become aware of the dangers that school absenteeism poses to a child’s success in school and later in life.  When students miss school, they fall behind. When your child comes home from school after an absence and tells you that he didn’t miss anything when he was away yesterday, remember: He was away. He cannot begin to know what he missed during the hours the class was together.  Each school day a teacher presents new material that builds on the work given the previous day. When students return after an absence, they must catch up. For students who are not strong, independent workers, this can be difficult. Even strong students will find it progressively more difficult to do their best as the gaps in their knowledge and the need to catch up increases with every absence.  Arriving at school on time does make a difference. Your children learn the importance of punctuality from the example you set.  Insist that the kids leave the house in time to arrive at school at least five or ten minutes before the bell. The time spent in the school yard before school is a transition time that allows your child to reconnect with classmates and to refocus on school issues. Lining up to enter the school with the rest of the class allows your child to become part of the group and to ease into the routines of school.  The first few minutes in the classroom are critical. During these minutes the teacher deals with the many issues that individual students share – just like the busy excitement of a group of relatives getting together for a visit. And the teacher eases the students into the business of learning with a number of routine opening activities. When your child arrives even five minutes late, it is like arriving at a family gathering when everyone else is already seated at the table. You would have missed some important information and you might feel a little ‘outside’ the group.  If you are thinking of taking your child out of school for a week or more, reconsider. Most children cannot afford to miss a week or more of class work.  Success at school helps children engage in learning. Children who miss school and then fall behind tend to miss more school. These children risk becoming frustrated and ‘giving up on school’. In fact, the process of dropping out of school begins very early in the lives of some children. It can start when a child misses school days without sufficient reason and then develops the idea that attendance is optional. At the same time, the student becomes discouraged with his or her poor academic achievement and feels even less like going to class. Would you feel like going to work if you were graded every day on how well you did your job, and many days you received a disappointing grade? Set your child up for success by insisting that he or she attend school daily, and on time.  The habit of non‐attendance established in elementary school typically continues into secondary school. By the time your child is in high school, he or she will have more independence and you will have less influence. Begin now to set the standard that every school day is compulsory, even on days when your child has a headache, is not ready for a test, or is tired because everyone stayed up late for a family function. Consider too, the messages you send about your own attitudes toward missing work or using sick days.  While some children may feign illness or beg to stay home because they feel that they do not fit in with their classmates, other children are gradually excluded by their peers as their irregular attendance makes them increasingly marginal to the social group. Page 6 of 6