Attendance Practices

SCPS continues efforts to ensure that all students fully benefit from their education by attending school regularly. Positive school attendance has a huge impact on a student’s academic success.  Attending school regularly, helps students feel better about school and themselves. 

As partners in education, families play a key role in school attendance.  Families are imperative in making sure students get to school safely every day and understand why attendance at school is so very important for success in school and in life.

SCPS realizes there are many reasons students miss school. Some absences are just unavoidable due to health problems or other circumstances.  However, absences add up quickly.  Absences of 10% or greater are considered chronic.  If your student is out of school, please remember to call the school. 

SCPS also realizes that when students miss too much school – regardless of the reason – it can cause them to fall behind academically.  Remember that even though a student may complete take-home work, this does not take away an absence. Student success is less likely if the student is experiencing chronic absenteeism or truancy.  Even just missing 2 days a month makes a student at risk.  Research shows:

• Students chronically absent in kindergarten and 1^st grade are much less likely to read at grade level by the end of 3^rd
• By 6^th grade, chronic absence is a proven early warning sign for students at risk of dropping out of school.
• Each week of absence per semester in 9^th grade lowers the likelihood of graduating by 25%.

SCPS is committed to educating every student to the very best of our ability, and to ensuring students do not fall behind and become discouraged.  Please ensure students attend school all day, every day.  Here are a few tips to help support regular school attendance:

• Keep a consistent bed time and morning routine. Students thrive with consistency!
• Lay out clothes and pack the backpack/organize supplies the night before.
• Ensure that your student logs into school and completes every session, every day, unless they are truly sick.
• Avoid scheduling vacations or doctor’s appointments when school is in session.
• Communicate with your teachers and counselor for advice if your student is feeling anxious about school.
• For more information about school attendance practices please reach out to your student's school principal

If you are having trouble with your student attending school for any reason, please don’t hesitate to reach out to your student’s school for resources.