Greetings, dear readers.
Spring has officially arrived, and the warm days are surprising respites from the bitter chill we had all winter.
Farmers are tilling the land, that special smell of all-natural fertilizer adds a tang to the air and the first shoots of a few crops are peeking their heads aboveground.
Many of our elementary, middle and high school students have started spring sports practices and games. They are going above and beyond their regular school day, getting fit, learning sportsmanship, teamwork, discipline and how to plan and prioritize their academic and extracurricular activities.
They are reaping rewards and recognition for themselves, their teams and their school district.
And then there are the students who think the break in the winter weather signals that it’s time to take a break from school.
Prior to the Milford School District Board of Education meeting on Monday, March 30, several educators were heard bemoaning the chronic absenteeism of a number of students.
Yes, it was a rough flu season this year, and many students missed classes due to illness.
But, apparently, class attendance is optional in a number of families, with parents permitting their children to skip school for no legitimate reason.
Add those kids to the old-fashioned class-cutters, and you have a population of students who are squandering an opportunity so valuable that there is a waiting list of students requesting permission to attend school in the Milford School District next year, as the Board of Education discussed Monday night. Misbehavior and low grades will bar some of those students from entering Milford schools.
But what is the consequence of constantly missing classes? For now, it’s disciplinary action brought upon the errant student.
However, parents who condone class cutting should know that they are on the wrong side of the law, which requires parents to send their children to school. Breaking that law could land parents in jail or have them paying hefty fines.
Hang out with our children after-school or on weekends. Make sure they go to class. If your child is prone to class cutting, start randomly checking up on their attendance and find out what has become more important to them than their education. Get them involved in after-school activities.
Push them toward excellence; make them a source of pride _ for themselves and for their community.
— Kanika Georges, Editor
Milford, Del. —
