FLOW Area November 12, 2014 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • Page 5 Regional school board tables attendance policy by Frank J. McMahon The Ramapo Indian Hills Board of Education has tabled a revised policy and regulation concerning student attendance. The proposed policy states that parents of children between the ages of six and 16 should cause their children to attend school regularly, although a student’s absence may be excused for certain reasons. Unexcused absences from school may subject a student to consequences that may include the denial of a student’s participation in extra- curricular activities or athletic competition. The accompanying regulation states, in part, that field trips and scheduled athletic competitions count toward attendance at school, but overnight field trips with the flexibility of scheduling would be excused for one day only while absences for overnight trips for competition, without the flexibility of scheduling, would be excused. The attendance policy and its regulation were sched- uled to be approved at the last public meeting of the school board. The items were tabled for further review when more than 50 members of the Indian Hills High School softball teams, and some of their parents and supporters, attended the public meeting and asked the board to change its proposed regulation to allow two excused school days instead of the one permitted by the new regulation, so they could attend their annual field trip to the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at Walt Disney World® Resort in Florida. The ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at Walt Disney World® camp claims it attracts more than 400 teams from across the country and participation extends from Feb. 19 to April 25, during which time high school teams can participate in various sports at the training camp. The parents highlighted the championship records of the softball program at Indian Hills and pointed out that the price of the trip would be the same for three or four days. According to the ESPN website, a high school travel package costs each student $625 during the regular reg- istration period, but a minimum of four nights of accom- modations is required. Therefore, the one excused day regulation would only provide for a three-day stay at the training camp. The students and their parents explained to the school board that they cannot practice in the early spring in New Jersey because of the weather, and the 10 practice games they play at the training camp prepare them for the upcom- ing season and is part of the reason the teams have been so successful. Last year, the Indian Hills girls’ softball team posted a 34-0 record and won the state championship. The students also emphasized to the board that the training camp does not keep them from their homework assignments, and no players are falling behind in their studies. Board President Thomas Bunting explained the board’s dilemma to the students and parents, stating that a request by the 230-member school band for an additional excused school day has already been denied, and the band has scheduled its trip around Memorial Day weekend with one excused absence. “That’s our problem,” he said. However, he noted that the softball teams have a limited opportunity to attend this training camp, unlike other sports and programs. Trustee Kenneth Porro said he was inclined to deny the request of the softball teams, but after hearing how hard the students work at the camp, and that there are two teachers on the trip, he recommended that an extra excused day be granted to the softball teams with several conditions. One condition was that the teams recognize the one excused day regulation. Another was that the students spend two hours each day on their studies, and the third was that next year the one-day regulation would be followed. There was no second to Porro’s motion, and most trust- ees indicated they would like to table the matter for further review. Porro ultimately agreed that the president of the board could remove the issue from that meeting’s agenda. The board then agreed to remove the attendance policy and regulation from the agenda until the next meeting. (continued on page 19)