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Nashoba committee debates absentee policy language and DESE reporting; members seek handbook crosswalk
Summary
Trustees discussed proposed changes to the district—s absence and dropout-prevention language during the consent-agenda review, raising concerns about the distinction between "notification" and "excused" absences and how DESE reporting and unenrollment after 10 consecutive days will be handled operationally.
School Committee members on April 30 pressed administration for clearer language about absences and how those rules connect to the student handbook and DESE reporting requirements.
During review of the consent agenda, School Committee member Sharon asked for clarification about a policy (redline labeled policy JH) that would require parents to provide a written explanation for student absences or tardiness. Sharon said she was concerned that the draft—s language about providing a written explanation could be misread as automatically excusing absences, and she described a real-case example in which a student had influenza and a subsequent medical note changed how prior absences were recorded.
Superintendent Kirk Downing and staff explained that operational practice differs from the…
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