Our Response to "Attendance Matters"
We look forward to their response and to working towards making schools in Kawartha Lakes a more accessible, supportive, and welcoming place for people with autism - and the people who love them.
Our response to "Letter from the director of education to TLDSB families: Attendance Matters – September 2025" (https://www.tldsb.ca/attendance-matters-september-2025/):
Dear Wes Hahn and the Trillium Lakelands District School Board,
I am writing to you in my capacity as a parent of an autistic child and as Co-Founder of Autism Resources Kawartha (ARK). I’ve read your recent “Attendance Matters – September 2025” letter and wish to share serious concerns, on behalf of many families in our community.
First, thank you for acknowledging school attendance and student wellbeing in your message. I understand and respect the goals of fostering routine, strong attendance, and academic progress. However, I believe the current narrative and emphasis risk overlooking the realities and needs of some of our most vulnerable students.
Concerns
1. Over-emphasis on attendance rates and percentages
You stress that 81% of elementary students and 73% of secondary students are already attending school 90% of the time. While these are positive numbers in many respects, focusing so heavily on these metrics can inadvertently marginalize students who struggle with attendance due to reasons beyond simple choice or discipline - such as autism, anxiety, sensory challenges, or other neurodivergent experiences.
2. Mental health and capacity must come first
While regular attendance is beneficial in many cases, for neurodivergent and anxious children, the story is different. For them, pushing for attendance without adequate supports may mean increased anxiety, sensory overload, meltdowns, sleepless nights, or even physical health issues (e.g. skipping meals due to stress). The priority must be mental health and individual capacity - ensuring students are able to attend without undue harm - and only then should numbers and percentages be emphasized.
3. Wellbeing vs. statistics
Your letter refers to well-being in connection with attendance and supports. But what I and many families are seeing is that what’s being measured (attendance) doesn’t always reflect what matters most: whether students are mentally, emotionally, and physically well enough to participate meaningfully. If the push for attendance causes more harm than good, then our metrics are out of alignment with our values.
What we ask of TLDSB
To better support neurodivergent and anxious children, here are some suggestions and questions:
Will the Board consider publicly recognizing that 100% attendance is not a realistic or healthy goal for all students, and adjust expectations accordingly?
Can there be more flexible policy or practice for attendance that takes into account individual needs, including sensory needs, anxiety, or medical/mental health challenges?
Will TLDSB ensure that supports (mental health services, counselling, sensory-friendly classroom practices) are sufficiently funded, trained, and available so that attendance doesn't come at too high a cost for some students?
Could the Board gather and share qualitative data (parent/student feedback; indicators of stress, wellbeing, disruption) in addition to quantitative attendance rates, so that decisions are more fully informed?
Invitation to Dialogue
I would very much welcome an opportunity to meet with you (and possibly other relevant stakeholders) to discuss how TLDSB can better align attendance expectations with wellbeing, especially for neurodivergent students. Our community wants to support the Board’s goals, but in a way that truly works for all students, not just those for whom the current system is easy to navigate.
Thank you for your time and consideration. I look forward to your response and to working together toward a more inclusive, empathetic, and genuinely supportive learning environment.
Sincerely,
Meg Geraghty
Co-Founder of Autism Resources Kawartha
