Absenteeism

After pausing to make sure I spelled absenteeism correctly (all those vowels together - still doesn't look right), I really appreciate the hard look that some districts are taking regarding absenteeism, especially focusing on the younger grades.  Usually, the eye is aimed at high school students, but by then the pattern has been set.  Historically, the same pattern has been looked at differently depending on which student is in view.  For example, 10 absences of a first grader may be seen as no big deal (with no emphasis put on the student's influence), but 10 absences of a high schooler may be seen as the student not taking school seriously (or a problem for the school).  However, the problem is the same at all levels...students missing instruction time and potentially falling behind.  This is especially important in an environment where we are at our shortest school years in ages.  Just like addressing school preparedness by getting kids into Head Start, absenteeism should be addressed with the same vigilance.  That way students would understand the importance of being in class and would not have to "unlearn" this bad habit.