You sound almost butt hurt here. Perfect attendance is no easy task. I achieved that in elementary school and also received a huge roar when I went up. Glad to hear that hasn't changed. You want the crowd to go bat****, standing, applauding, hooting and hollering for your kid? Get perfect attendance son!!
Middle school teacher here on my prep. School attendance is one of the top predictors of future success (both in college GPA and lifetime earnings), just as if not more important than grades. I'm not sure if it's easier to show up to school every day than to receive straight A's (and it depends on the school you attend), but it takes a different level of commitment. All kids get sick - these are kids who do not whine and cry to their parents to stay home, they just show up to school and try their best because they know it's what's best for them. I have tons of respect for kids who show up literally every day of school, and I have tons of respect for parents who make sure their kids get to school every day no matter what.
What is rarer perfect attendance or straight's? I bet there were fewer students with perfect attendance.
What they should look at is the grades for those with perfect attendance. Cal Ripkin, while his ironman accomplishments were truly amazing, was also a HOF player regardless of the game streak. If he was an average or below average player who happened to never miss a game... not sure if that alone gets him to the HOF (then again, I doubt he continues to play everyday if he's merely average or below average). If the kids with perfect attendance are also doing very well in school, they deserve every bit of the huge ovation. If they're doing average, or even poorly, I don't think they deserve an ovation for just "showing up". And, as the above poster said, I'd rather kids STAY HOME when they're really sick.
Gosh, I've had perfect attendance for the last 13 years. (okay, so I work from home but it should still count, ne?) Seriously, perfect attendance is a good thing.
A flu and the common cold are both very contagious and passed around schools like wildfire. If something is coming out of your kid, whether it's snot or coughing, it's best to leave them at home. I think awarding perfect attendance sends the wrong message. While it's an achievement, it reinforces kids to go to school when they're sick. It punishes kids who see the doctor during normal business hours, or miss school for personal reasons. They should award almost-perfect attendance, like allowing 3-4 absences a year. Things happen. Missing a day or two should be okay.
When I was in school all the kids that made honor roll and all the kids with perfect attendance got a free trip to astroworld at the end of the school year. I think I had perfect attendance 3 times. Its a great incentive to get the kids to come to school everyday. I believe the school districts get bonuses from the state based on attendance so thats why they make a big deal out of it. I know its hard to make straight A's but even if you aren't the smartest person you can show your ass up everyday. It creates a good habit for when the kids get jobs and go out into the real world. There aren't too many companies that want a bunch of people who they can't depend on to show up.
I have more appreciation for it now than I used to. I was a smart kid in school. I didn't have to try very hard to get A's in school. Then I got a job and found out that being smart doesn't get you as far in work as it did in school. People dumber than me can have more success by simply sacrificing more hours (or by posting less often on sports forums). Maybe if I was a dumber kid I would have learned better to apply myself, I'd have a better work ethic and more career success now. So, kudos to the kids with perfect attendance. You'll probably be a better worker. Of course, an even better measure might be completion rates for homework.
Totally worthless "accomplishment." The award was always meaningless in the schools I went to and the kids that did it were never the same ones that got good grades. I'd much rather my kid excel than simply show up
Sounds like this is something business would want to promote Schools are meant to promote business ideals nowadays Rocket River
Wow. Who gives a ****? I'm pretty sure the "attendance kids" got the loudest applause because the majority can relate to them to a certain way like an underdog than a straight A teacher's pet.
