Elementary, middle, and high school students recently received recognition for their strong, improved, or perfect attendance for the fourth quarter during a districtwide celebration held at Kelly School.
Similar celebrations were held at the end of the first, second, and third quarters of the 2023-24 school year to acknowledge students who worked hard to maintain or improve their attendance habits.
Daily attendance and punctuality is an important priority for students of all ages, school leaders agree, noting that there is a direct correlation between regular school attendance and academic achievement. Research shows that poor attendance in the early years can keep young children from reading proficiently by the end of third grade.
How many absences are too many?
If a student misses two days a month on average, this can add up to 20 absences per year or more than 10% of the school year, and they would be considered chronically absent. Students who are chronically absent are at greater risk for falling behind, not meeting with academic success, and are 7.4 times more likely to drop out of high school. There are many steps families can take to help support good attendance from PreK through high school.