PETERSBURG – Ten-year-old Lily Fisher is a fifth grader in the Upper Township school system and a smart fifth grader as well since she is in the Talented and Gifted Program. Fisher also honors the spirit of volunteerism through her Girl Scout troop.
She has been volunteering every Veterans Day since she was 5-years-old by serving lunch and giving little gifts to veterans from the Vineland Home when they gather at the Belleplain VFW post on their day of commemoration, each Nov. 11.
In this way, she’s able to honor her grandfather, Daniel Batchelor of Belleplain, who is a Navy veteran having done military duty as an electrician’s mate during the Vietnam War.
This year Fisher was all set to do her day of service, until she and her parents learned that her absence from school on Veterans Day would be marked “unexcused.” This change in policy is in decided contrast to previous years when her community service day was considered “excused.”
The Upper Township principal called Foster’s parents and explained that under school guidelines, it could only consider an absence “excused” if for religious reasons, for example.
Have the rules themselves changed or have they not changed but the enforcement has? Foster’s family was unclear from the principal, whether the school is interpreting absences in a different manner from local or N.J. Board of Education attendance rules.
Per the N.J. Department of Education website, students are allowed four unexcused absences each school year after which school intervention kicks in.
“I am pretty angry,” said Foster’s grandfather, Batchelor. “Lily’s volunteering is something she and the vets have always looked forward to each year. It’s a way for the generations to mingle with each other and learn from each other so it’s a real educational experience for Lily.”
Foster’s parents let her serve the veterans in her traditional way this year, regardless of what the school system deems an ‘excused absence’ and what it doesn’t.
“Since Lily is a good student, this day out of class won’t hurt her work,” said Batchelor. “It’s too important not to do.” And even though the family’s December outing to New York City for Christmas cheer will go on as scheduled, along with those additional “unexcused absences” for the trip, Foster’s Veterans Day volunteering continued to bring a bit of cheer to military service members getting up in years together.
To contact Camille Sailer, email csailer@cmcherald.com.
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