Attendance Tips for Parents

         Showing up for school has a huge impact on a student’s academic success starting in kindergarten and continuing through high school. Even as children grow older and more independent, families play a key role in making sure students get to school safely every day and understand why attendance is so important for success in school and on the job.

DID YOU KNOW?

• Students should miss no more than 9 days of school each year to stay engaged, successful and on track to graduation.
• Absences can be a sign that a student is losing interest in school, struggling with school work, dealing with a bully or facing some other potentially serious difficulty.
• Missing 10 percent, or about 18 days, of the school year can drastically affect a student’s academic success.
• Students can be chronically absent even if they only miss a day or two every few weeks.

WHAT YOU CAN DO

• Make school attendance a priority
• Talk about the importance of showing up to school everyday, make that the expectation.
• Help your child maintain daily routines, such as finishing homework and getting a good night’s sleep.
• Don’t let your child stay home unless truly sick. Complaints of headaches or stomach aches may be signs of anxiety.
• Help your child stay engaged
• Stay on top of academic progress and seek help from teachers or tutors if necessary. Make sure teachers know how to contact you.
• Stay on top of your child’s social contacts. Peer pressure can lead to skipping school, while students without many friends can feel isolated.
• Encourage meaningful afterschool activities, including sports and clubs.
• Communicate with the school and Know the school’s attendance policy
• Talk to teachers if you notice sudden changes in behavior. These could be tied to something going on at school.
• Check on your child’s attendance to be sure absences are not piling up.
• Ask for help from school officials, afterschool programs, other parents or community agencies if you’re having trouble getting your child to school.

Click the link below for a parent video about attendance

http://www.attendanceworks.org/tools/for-parents/bringing-attendance-home-video/

 Attendance Tips for Students

• School is your first and most important job.
• Students who attend school regularly are more likely to graduate and find good jobs.
• A high school graduate makes, on average, $1 million more than a dropout over a lifetime.
• A student who misses 10 days or more during a school year is less likely to graduate.
• If you think missing a day here or there won’t matter, think again.
• By missing just 1 day every 2 weeks, you would be on track to miss 10% of the school year
• School only gets harder when you stay home too much.
• Get to school as often as possible to help stay on track with assignments.
• Skipping school may sound fun, but it can have serious consequences.
• If you’re having trouble getting to school – tell someone, such as a guidance counselor or your parents.