most important skill: attendance
Attendance Tips For Parents:
- Attendance is the responsibility of the student and the family and the school system. As the parent, you can encourage, role model and support strong attendance.
- Show interest in the school activities and tell them that you want them to do well.
- Your support of attendance will help them develop a positive view of school and the importance of attendance.
- Read the school newsletter and emails.
- Make a contract with your child to improve his/her attendance. Reward positive improvements.
- Establish a Routine: in the morning for getting up, getting ready and getting there.
- If mornings are difficult, you can plan ahead the night before: such as identifying and pre-prepping breakfast, have kids choose clothes and shoes the night before, and pack their backpacks with completed homework and snacks/water.
Set a regular bedtime schedule. Absences and fatigue can be significant causes for school struggles. Click "kids need to sleep" for more information.
Studies show the more involved a child and parents are with their school, the better their attendance and success is. Keep Open Lines of Communication with your Children, Teacher, Principal and School Attendance Office:
- Seek support when your child is struggling to attend school
- Get to know the school staff - attend Parent Teacher Conferences and Back to School Night and Parent Meetings
- Encourage your child to get more involved with their school. Sign them up for extra-curricular activities they like or an after school program.
If your child does not want to go to school, find out why and work with your school and child to address concerns.
- Let your child know problems can be solved and they need to attend school.
- If you notice your child is avoiding a particular class or is having a difficult time in one subject area, communicate with the teacher.
- Offer extra support at home.
- Contact your child’s school social worker or guidance counselor for help if it is needed to support your child or family.
- Our schools work to provide a safe and learning environment so that your student can feel comfortable and meet educational goals.
- School social workers can work with you or the teacher to address the needs of the student to lower the risk of failure/struggle due to absences.
Research shows that attendance is critical to student success. a student that misses 10 percent of the school (or about 18 days) will negatively affects a student’s academic performance. That’s just two days a month and that’s known as chronic absence.
