Everybody plays a role in ensuring children attend school regularly. September is Attendance Awareness Month and our theme for this year is Attend to Win!

We do understand that some absences are unavoidable due to illness and/or other unforeseen circumstances; however, we also understand that when students are absent for an extensive amount of time, they are missing opportunities to learn. 

We want our students to succeed academically to help them achieve their dreams and goals, so we need your help to make certain that students attend school each day.

Research shows:

• When students attend regularly, they are much more likely to read proficiently by third grade, do well in middle school and graduate.
• By 6th Grade, chronic absenteeism is a proven early warning sign for students at risk of dropping out of school.
• By 9th Grade, good attendance  can predict graduation rates even better than 8th Grade test scores.

Absences can add up quickly. Missing just two days a month can cause a student to be chronically absent!

Attending school regularly matters!

Here are some practical ideas and tips to help you support your child with regular attendance:

• Make sure your child maintains a regular bedtime and morning routine.
• Lay out clothes and bookbag the night before.
• Avoid vacations and doctor’s appointments during times when school is in session. 
• Talk to teachers, counselors, and other support staff for advice for your child to not feel anxious about going to school.
• Develop backup plans for getting to school if something comes up. Call a family member, neighbor, or another parent to take your child to school.
• Praise your child for making efforts to attend school daily.

We want to partner with you to support you and your child. Please let us know how we can do this so that your child will have a productive year with good attendance.