Cutting Classes
My 16 year old son with ADD is constantly dishonest and for no reason seems to place himself in situations that prove disastrous to him academically and socially at times. He does not take care of situations until they are out of control. For e.g., he was marked in school as cutting 2 classes, he states he was there. I told him to get notes from those teachers saying he was there and submit to attendance. He did not get the notes and the Dean told him he has to no follow-up with the teachers to sign a paper he was given that he was there. The problem was that I had to go back to the school with him and accompany him to the Deans office since he took no actions to take care of this.
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Truancy is as much the school’s problem as the parents.
10 Things a School Can Do To Improve Attendance—
1. Create an environment that enables students to feel successful in something, no matter how small it may seem. Award academic and attendance "letters," as you do for athletics.
2. Don't provide the temptation for youth to be truant. Close your campuses during breaks and lunch.
3. Empower and expect classroom teachers to take action when they think a student may be truant. Ask teachers to make calls to absent youth or families in the afternoons or evenings.
4. Forge a relationship with local businesses where youth may congregate when truant, and encourage them to keep students in school during school hours. Create a poster that states, "We support youth in school and will not serve anyone under 16 during school hours."
5. Forge a relationship with local law enforcement. Make them your allies in showing the community, families, and students that school is the place to be. Empower community police officers to return youth to school.
6. Make students and parents/guardians feel welcome. Make a point to say hello to every parent/guardian or student you see in the halls and outside. Make it your business to know their names.
7. Make your school a place where kids feel safe and respected. Adopt a character education program that is planned and implemented by students.
8. Reward and recognize good attendance, not just perfect attendance. Post large signs giving the daily attendance for the day. Reward individuals, classes, and the school for increased attendance.
9. When students are absent, immediately talk to their parents/guardians -- not their answering machines. Make a personal phone call in the evening, or call parents/guardians at work during the day.
10. When students are absent, immediately talk with them about why they were gone. Let them know you are aware, and that you care that they are at school.
I have a 16yr old with add, ocd and anxiety. He's cut 2 classes in the last 2 weeks. we get a call from the asst. principle and he has to attend detention. He is unable to focus and when he's not prepared especially for a test he panics. We have to change his meds but right now we don't have many answers. I told him that he needs to go to the nurse and stay there until he feels better. In the meantime we have to figure something out about his focusing issues.
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