Student
Attendance
February 12,
2020
Dear School Community:
I'd like to
take a hiatus from regularly updating you on the status of our district
goals to share another prong of work we're currently looking to
enhance: student attendance.
I recently
assembled a small group of stakeholders to continue brainstorming ways to
better message to our school community the importance of regular student
attendance and work through ideas about putting interventions and
incentives in place for families that struggle to get kids to school every day.
This work
will be ongoing.
I realize
that absences spike in the days before and after long weekends, like
this upcoming one, as families squeeze in a few more vacation days.
It's time to break that cycle. We know that just a few missed days
here and there, even if they're excused absences, can add up to too much
lost learning and put your child behind in school. This is as true in
kindergarten as it is in high school. Put simply, too many absences
at any age can affect a student's chances for academic success. Take note
of these statistics that reinforce the idea that even a seemingly minimal
amount of missed school time has far reaching effects.
Even if the
teacher shares a homework packet, it doesn't make up for the
interaction and learning that happens in the classroom. Our teachers
will be teaching, and our students will be learning, right up until
vacation starts and the first day back.
If you need
our support in getting your child to school, we're equipped to help you. We
ask that you reach out to your school's administration to begin to partner
in this work.
Finally, as
you enjoy this upcoming long weekend, I hope you engage in a bit of
self-care. In my visits to classrooms, I see many teachers leading
students through mindfulness activities. There's an abundance of
research that posits mindfulness in schools leads to greater empathy,
engagement and focus, all of which support student achievement.
If you're
interested in learning more about mindfulness ideas to try at home with
your children, I encourage you to check-out our latest Leadership Blog
written by our Supervisor of Guidance and Assessment, Mrs. Joy
Przywara. https://www.kenilworthschools.com/board_of_education/leadership/leadership_blogs/february_2020
Sincerely,
Kyle C. Arlington
Superintendent of Schools
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