School attendance is extremely important and absenteeism in elementary school typically leads to truancy in middle and high school.  When children miss more than 4 or 5 days of school each year, they are at a greater risk of not passing classes and earning a high school diploma.  It is also critical that students arrive to school on time; even a few minutes late is disruptive to the child’s day.  When children are sick with a fever, they should stay home.  However, children should go to school when they have the sniffles or other minor aches, as long as there is not a fever.