Students skip classes to join New England Patriots parade

Katie Almeida, 7, of Brookline, who goes to Edith Baker Elementary School, tried to make this sign believable.Pat Greenhouse/Globe Staff

Several schools reported students playing hooky Tuesday to witness the duck boats roll down Boylston Street in the New England Patriots victory parade in Boston.

When asked whether Needham High School was seeing a lot of absent students today, Leslie Ofer, a secretary for the school, laughed.

“Yeah, a lot, a lot, a lot,” Ofer said. “[Attendance counts] are not set yet, but [absences] are significantly higher than usual.”

Marilyn Player, an administrative assistant at Hingham High School, said there’s certainly more missing than Monday.

“They don’t necessarily say the parade,” Player said, while suggesting the absences are parade-related.

A secretary in student services at Plymouth North High School echoed Player’s message.

“Haven’t heard parade specifically but yes, lots of absences,” she said.

On the other side of the spectrum, Salem Public Schools didn’t see any increase in absenteeism because of the parade, said Kelley Rice, communications director for the district.

Dianne Kelly, superintendent of Revere Public Schools, said their high school attendance is only down minimally, while more middle schoolers were attending today than an average school day.

“We’re excited that the kids wanted to come here today instead of going to the parade,” Kelly said.