Research shows that attendance is the single most important factor in school successIt also shows that children who are in school most of the time do better on standardized tests and that kids who are absent more often score lower on standardized tests.

Here are Simon and Simone. They are in 7th grade

and have 90% attendance.

Is that good?

What does that mean?

Simon and Simone think this is pretty good; so do their parents.

Are they right?

90% attendance = 1/2 day missed

EVERY WEEK!Would your boss like you

to be off work this much? That’s practically

part time!

Let’s look a little closer…

1 school year at 90% attendance equals4 entire weeks of class time missed!

Absent for 4 weeks

Sept July

90% attendance over 5 yearsof secondary school …

Equals 1/2 a school year MISSED!SEPT

Y7Y8Y9

Y10Y11

July

½ a year absent from school

“What can do as a parent

to increase my child’s attendance?”

So… 90% is NOT quite as good as it first seemed!

Ways for parents to encourage attendance:

Find out regularly your child’s absences.Talk regularly with

your child about school and how they feel about it. They are more likely to attend if they feel supported and listened to.

Phone school as soon as possible to tell us why your child is absent, and when you expect them to return. Only allow days at home for genuine illness.Avoid taking holidays/travel during school

time.Know routines of the school day to avoid

issuesIf you have concerns, CALL the school – it is

imperative that you work as a TEAM

PRAISE & REWARD GOOD ATTENDANCE

Even small successes can lead to major changes

If there is a problem with your child’s attendance, talk calmly to your child and listen to the explanation. There is always an explanation. It may not impress you, but it counted enough with your child to make them truant. Pursuing the reason for non-attendance is important.Talk to the school/school counselor to try to

resolve issues. They may be able to help & support you and your child. You are not alone.

Other tips to help secure good attendance:

Make sure your child stays healthy by eating nutritious food and getting enough exercise.DON’T accept excuses for why your child

“must” miss or be late for school.Support school rules & consequences for

skipping and for being tardy.Lead by example- If your child sees/hears

parent calling in with “fake” excuses for taking off work, they may expect to be able to do the same.

Other tips to help secure good attendance:

Be particularly watchful and supportive during test time and be aware of coursework deadlines.Check homework

regularly.Help them catch up

on missed work.

Other tips to help secure good attendance:

Being late/tardy hurts a child’s learning –A student who is 10 minutes late everyday will miss 30 hours of instruction during ONE YEAR!!!Children can copy notes, but they can never get back the discussions, the thinking that makes learning come alive!

Attend and Achieve!!

If a school can improve attendance by 1%, they will see a 5-6% improvement in attainment! (DOE & SKILLS)

The goal of the school is to ensure a child’s attendance remains above 95% allowing them to achieve their maximum potential!!