School Students Miss Family Staying Home Absence Day

American students are expected to go to school each weekday, but "perfect attendance" (going to all classes every day) is rare. Schools understand that students "occasionally" (sometimes, but not very often) need to miss class. However, students must explain their "absence" (not being somewhere) and let the school decide whether it was an "excused" (allowed) or "unexcused" (not allowed and needing to be punished) absence.

Many students miss school when they are "ill" (sick). If they are gone for just a day or two, their parents call the school or send a "note" (a written explanation). If they will miss school for a longer period of time, they might need a note from the doctor's office.

Students might also miss school due to a "family emergency," such as the illness or death of a family member. Sometimes a student's "extra-curricular" (related to school, but not related to core subjects like math and English) activities, like sports events and music competitions, can cause an absence. These are usually excused absences unless they "occur" (happen) too frequently.

Occasionally families will take their children out of school for a few days to go on a family vacation or to do some other type of family activity. Schools generally "frown on" (do not approve of) this, but they might "grant" (issue; give) an excused absence if they think it has some educational "merit" (value; worth). If the school probably won't excuse the absence, the parents might lie about why the child was out of school, perhaps saying that he or she was sick.

When students miss class, most teachers let them "make up the work," completing the assignments that the other students did that day and taking "make-up exams" (the same or a slightly different test given later).