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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.
D ID Y O U m o w ?
• S tud e n ts sh o u ld m iss n o m o re th a n 9 d a ys o f sch o o l e a ch ye a r to sta y e n g a g e d , su cce ssfu l a n d o n tra c k to g rad u a tio n .
• A b se n ce s ca n b e a sig n th a t a s tu de n t is lo sin g in te re st in sch o o l, stru g g lin g w ith sch o o l w o rk, d e a lin g w ith a b u lly o r
fa cin g so m e o th e r p o te n tia lly se riou s d ifficu lty.
• B y 6 th g ra d e , a b se n te e ism is o n e o f th re e sig n s th a t a s tu d e n t m a y d ro p o u t o f h ig h sch o o l.
• B y 9 th g ra d e , re g u la r a n d h ig h a tten d a n ce is a b e tte r p re d icto r o f g ra d u ation ra te s th a n 8 th g ra d e te s t sco re s.
• M issin g 1 0 p e rce n t, o r a b o u t 1 8 d a ys, o f th e sch o o l ye a r ca n d ra stica lly a ffe c t a s tu de n t ’ s a ca d e m ic su cce ss.
• S tud e n ts ca n b e ch ro nica lly a b se n t e ve n if th e y o n ly m iss a d a y o r tw o e ve ry fe w w e e ks.
• A tte n d a n ce is a n im po rta n t life skill th a t w ill h e lp yo u r ch ild g ra du a te fro m co lle g e a n d ke e p a jo b .
W M T Y O U O W D O WVUTSRQPONMLKJIHGFEDCBA
M ake school attendance a priority
• T a lk a b o u t th e im p o rta n ce o f sh o w ing u p to sch o o l everyday, m a ke th a t th e e xp e ctation .
• H e lp yo u r ch ild m a in ta in d a ily ro u tin e s, su ch a s fin ish in g h o m e w o rk a n d g e ttin g a g o o d n ig h t ’ s sle e p.
• T ry n o t to sch e d u le d e n ta l a n d m e d ica l a p p o in tm e n ts d u rin g th e sch o o l day.
• D o n ’ t le t yo u r ch ild sta y h o m e u n less tru ly sick. C o m p la in ts o f h e a da ch e s o r sto m a ch a ch e s m a y b e sig n s o f a n xie ty.
H elp your teen stay engaged
• F in d o u t if yo u r ch ild fe e ls e n g a g e d by h is cla sse s a n d fe e ls sa fe fro m b u llie s a n d
o th e r th rea ts. M a ke su re h e /s h e is n o t m issin g cla ss b e ca u se o f b e h a vio ra l issu es
a n d sch o o l d iscip lin e p o licie s. If a n y o f th e se a re p ro b le m s, w o rk w ith yo u r sch o o l.
• S ta y o n to p o f a ca d e m ic p ro g re ss a n d se e k h e lp fro m te a ch e rs o r tu to rs if
n e ce ssa ry. M a ke su re te a ch e rs kn o w h o w to co n ta ct yo u .
• S ta y o n to p o f yo u r c h ild ’ s so cia l co n ta cts. P e e r p re ssu re ca n le a d to skip p in g
sch o o l, w h ile stu d en ts w ith o u t m a n y frie n ds ca n fe e l iso la te d .
• E n cou ra ge m e a nin g fu l a fte rsch o o l a ctivitie s, inclu ding sp o rts a n d clu bs. DCBA
C o m m u n ic a te w ith th e s c h o o l
• K n o w th e sch o o l ’ s a tte n d a n ce p o licy - in ce n tive s a n d p e n a litie s
• T a lk to te a ch e rs if yo u n o tice su d d e n ch a n g e s in b e h a vior. T h e se co u ld b e tie d to
so m e th in g g o ing o n a t sch o o l.
• C h e ck o n yo u r c h ild ’ s a tten d a n ce to b e su re a b se n ce s a re n o t p ilin g u p .
• A sk fo r h e lp fro m sch o o l o fficia ls, a fte rsch o o l p ro g ram s, o th e r p a re n ts o r
co m m u n ity a g e ncie s if yo u ’ re h a ving tro u b le g e ttin g yo u r ch ild to sch o o l.
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