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President Obama helps 5-year-old get out of school

Five-year-old Alanah Poullard has about the best school excuse note possible — hers is signed by President Barack Obama.The kindergartner scored the president’s handwritten seal of approval on Thursday when she visited the White House. But this wasn’t an ordinary tour; Poullard was attending an event for wounded service members with her father. Wearing a sleeveless blue dress and black Mary
President Barack Obama writes a school excuse note for Alanah Poullard, 5, while visiting with Wounded Warriors and their families in the East Room du...
President Barack Obama writes a school excuse note for Alanah Poullard, 5, while visiting with Wounded Warriors and their families in the East Room during their tour of the White House, Sept. 19, 2013. Alanah asked for a note to show her kindergarten teacher. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)Pete Souza / Today

Five-year-old Alanah Poullard has about the best school excuse note possible — hers is signed by President Barack Obama.

The kindergartner scored the president’s handwritten seal of approval on Thursday when she visited the White House. But this wasn’t an ordinary tour; Poullard was attending an event for wounded service members with her father.

Wearing a sleeveless blue dress and black Mary Janes, the little girl met the president in the East Room and asked for a note to show her teacher. White House photographer Pete Souza caught the president jotting down a few words on Poullard’s behalf and Tweeted the image.

This isn’t the first time the president has honored such a request. Minnesota fifth-grader Tyler Sullivan got a special note from the president when he attended a campaign speech last June.

In 2009, he also wrote a note for 10-year-old Kennedy Corpus, who missed the last day of school to attend a town hall event featuring the president in Green Bay, Wis.

On a piece of paper, he said: "To Kennedy's teacher: Please excuse Kennedy's absence. She's with me. Barack Obama."

No doubt seeing the president’s signature is a quite a surprise for those elementary school teachers.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.