N.B. students missed 250,000 days in November, data shows

New Brunswick students missed a combined total of about 250,000 days in November, the latest data from the Department of Education shows.

That's an average of 2.5 missed days for each of the province's approximately 100,000 public school students.

It's roughly 70,000 more absentee daysthan in October, when the provincial average was under two days.

The sharp increaseoccurred during a surgein cases ofCOVID-19, the flu and respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, across the province, but the department says it doesn't know the reasons behind the student absences.

Elementary, middle and high school levels all saw increases,across both the anglophone and francophone sectors, the data shows.

In the anglophone districts, students in kindergarten to Grade 8 missed an average of 2.7 days of school in November, compared to 1.9 days in October a 42.1 per cent jump.

Among anglophone students in grades 9 to 12, the average number of days absent was 3.2 days in November, up 28 per cent from the average 2.5 days in October.

In the francophone districts, students in kindergarten to Grade 8 were absent an average of 1.7 days in November. That's a 54.5 per cent rise over the average 1.1 days missed in October.

Francophone students in grades 9 to 12, meanwhile, missed an average of 2.2 days in November, compared to 1.6 days in October a 37.5 per cent increase.

A student could be absent for many reasons including dental and medical appointments, sickness or personal/family reasons and matters related to COVID-19.- Morgan Bell, Department of Education spokesperson

The data, supplied to the department by the anglophone and francophone sectors,does not indicate why a student may be absent, saiddepartment spokesperson Morgan Bell.

"A student could be absent for many reasons including dental and medical appointments, sickness or personal/family reasons and matters related to COVID-19," she said in an emailed statement.

The department did not provide November attendancefor individual schools, but did provide a breakdown of the absence data by district, whichis included at the bottom of this story. The average November absencesfor 2021 and 2020 were also provided.

Although the November 2022absencesarethe highest of the November rates so far this pandemic, the 2021 attendance is based on only the last two weeks of the month, said Bell. That'sbecause schools were closed due to a strikebysupport staff and bus drivers, she confirmed.

40% of students at 1 school absent same day

Of the seven school districts, onlyFrancophone School District North West responded to a request to provide absencesbroken down by schools.

SpokespersonJulie Poulinprovided detailed spreadsheets showing each school's daily absencesNov. 7 to Nov. 30, the number of enrolled students, the absence rates, as well as the district totals and weekly averages.

The Regional School of Saint-Andr, an elementary school, had the highest absence rate on Nov. 28 when 40 per cent of its 125 students were off, the figures show.

District wide, average daily absencesranged from seven per cent (371 students)on Nov. 9 to 15 per cent (747 students)on Nov. 25.

The district does not collect information on how many of the absences are because of COVID-19, the flu or RSV, said Poulin.

"But we know from media reports with health experts and from observationsin our communities (without support data, however) that the viruses have circulated and affected many families," she said in an emailed statement in French.

Anglophone West sees highest absences

Among the districts,Anglophone School District West, the province's second-largest district, with 69 schools and about 23,000 students, hadthe highest absences, with an average of 3.0 days for kindergarten to Grade 8 students and 3.5 days for students in grades 9-12.

"We are always concerned when students and staff miss school due to illness," spokesperson Jennifer Read said in an emailed statement. "In an ideal world, we would like to see everyone healthy and at school every day."

Asked how many of the absences were due to COVID-19, the flu, or RSV, Read said,"Families may choose to share the reason for illness, but it is not a requirement when reporting to the school."

Public Health has asked schools to share when their absence rates climb 10 per centabove "normal absence rates," she said. "As such, schools monitor their attendance and share information directly with Public Health."

The data, reported by district, not by school, is used to "monitor system-wide trends," according to Read.

Not only schools facing absences

Meredith Caissie, spokesperson for Anglophone School District North, provided similar comments.

Schools notify Public Health if their absencelevels are 10 per centhigher thantheir usual rate,"and due to the likelihood of illness (as opposed to a known other reason, such as a sporting event for example)," she said.

"Not all reported absences indicate the reason for the absence. Schools would share that information directly with Public Health, and PH then assesses it," Caissie said in an emailed statement.

The district is concerned anytime students and staff are out sick, she said. "We do understand that our schools are not alone when it comes to absences, and that many sectors acrossN.B. and beyond are experiencing this same thing," she added.

Both Anglophone West and Anglophone North will continue to work with the Department of Education and Public Health and follow any direction provided, said Read and Caissie.

Neither district has any new guidance for schools or parents. They both continue to encourageproactive health measures, such asfrequent hand washing, monitoring for symptoms of illness, and staying home when sick.

Anglophone School District East,Anglophone School District South, Francophone School District North East and Francophone School DistrictSouthdid not respond to a request for information or comment.

Average monthly student absences by school district:

Anglophone School District - East

K-8 students:

• November 20222.8 days
• October 20221.8 days
• November 2021 1.0days (*based on the last two weeksonly)
• November 2020 1.4days

Grades 9-12:

• November 2022 3.0 days
• October 2022 2.3 days
• November 2021 1.2days(*based on the last two weeks only)
• November 2020 1.2days

Anglophone School District - North

K-8 students:

• November 2022 2.5 days
• October 2022 1.9days
• November 2021 1.2days(*based on the last two weeks only)
• November 2020 1.4days

Grades 9-12:

• November 2022 3.0 days
• October 2022 2.6 days
• November 2021 1.8days(*based on the last two weeksonly)
• November 2020 1.4 days

Anglophone School District - South

K-8 students:

• November 2022 2.7 days
• October 2022 1.9days
• November 2021 1.0days(*based on the last two weeks only)
• November 2020 2.3days

Grades 9-12:

• November 2022 3.1 days
• October 2022 2.6days
• November 2021 1.5 days(*based on the last two weeks only)
• November 2020 2.9days

Anglophone School District - West

K-8 students:

• November 2022 3.0days
• October 2022 1.8days
• November 2021 1.0days(*based on the last two weeks only)
• November 2020 1.5days

Grades 9-12:

• November 2022 3.5days
• October 2022 2.5days
• November 2021 1.6days(*based on the last two weeks only)
• November 2020 2.0days

Francophone School District - North East

K-8 students:

• November 2022 1.5 days
• October 2022 1.1 days
• November 2021 0.7days(*based on the last two weeks only)
• November 2020 0.7 days

Grades 9-12:

• November 2022 2.5 days
• October 2022 1.9 days
• November 2021 1.4 days(*based on the last two weeks only)
• November 2020 1.0days

Francophone School District - North West

K-8 students:

• November 2022 1.5 days
• October 2022 1 day
• November 2021 0.7days(*based on the last two weeks only)
• November 2020 0.6 days

Grades 9-12:

• November 2022 1.9 days
• October 2022 1.4 days
• November 2021 1.0 days(*based on the last two weeksonly)
• November 2020 0.7 days

Francophone School District - South

K-8 students:

• November 2022 2.2 days
• October 2022 1.2 days
• November 2021 0.7 days(*based on the last two weeks only)
• November 2020 0.7 days

Grades 9-12:

• November 2022 2.1 days
• October 2022 1.4 days
• November 2021 0.8 days(*based on the last two weeksonly)
• November 2020 0.6 days