The school asked me to meet to talk about my child’s absences – how can I prepare for the meeting?

Be ready to share what you have noticed and what you are worried about, and to listen to the concerns and ideas of the school. Sometimes it can take a while to figure out what is getting in the way of a student attending school. It might seem simple. A student might be saying, “I just don't want to go.” But there is often more to it. It can take time to figure out whether something specific is not going well, or if there is something that would motivate a student to want to be at school. Here are some specific things you can do before you go to the meeting:

• Let the school know if you will need an interpreter;
• Let the school know if other people will join you (for example: your child's counselor, a grandparent);
• Ask your child to share with you what has been going on at school, and outside school: with friends, with other students, with teachers. Ask how your child feels about school work and school activities, and what your child would like to have happen at school.
• Talk with your child about your goals and hopes for your child with school.