By Kaizeen Mody

Attendance  for the short Thanksgiving week was a record high compared to the past two school years, according to statistics compiled by Attendance Coordinator Gabriel Preciado, who felt that the introduction of a two-day week led to fewer students missing school to leave early for the long weekend.

However, this trend for high attendance may be reversed by upcoming winter illnesses, which caused a large number of absences last year.

In past years the number of absences on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving has always been the greatest.

However, this year’s number of absences is about 60 percent lower than the average number of absences during the Monday and Tuesday before Thanksgiving break of the past two years.

 The 2004-2005 and 2005-2006 school years both had a week total of 97 and 128 absences respectively whereas this year only had 42.

There were 1,134 absences due to trips last year.

“Obviously we have to realize that around the holiday season some families have to make reservations to go somewhere that mean they’d have to leave early,” Preciado said.

“And some have to stay a little later to avoid the rush that comes with the holidays or deal with flights being delayed, overbooked and cancelled. But after school resumes in January, this kind of absence is rare.”