204: Every Day Counts!
Quarter Two Update
Quarter One Attendance Recap
Being present at school is one of the most important tasks a family can focus on for student achievement. Attendance Works research shows the following research based facts:
64% of consistent kindergarten and first-grade attendees read at grade level by third grade.
By the 6th grade, chronic absence becomes a strong warning sign that a student is at risk of dropping out of high school.
By 9th grade, attendance is one of the single best indicators of whether a student will graduate.
Here is our current District 204 Attendance Data:
10.9% of our students are currently chronically absent
69% of our students have missed less than 5% of the school year so far
44% of our absences have been due to illness- a total of 16,903 illness absences (2,414 days of learning)
19% of our absences have been due to family related events- a total of 7378 absences
Cold and Flu Season Is Coming
- If your child has a fever be sure to keep them home for 24 hours
- Be sure to wash your hands for at least 20 seconds often
- Be sure to cover your nose and mouth with a tissue or inner elbow when coughing or sneezing
Holidays and Special Day Reminders
Please note these special dates and changes in our school calendar:
- October 22nd- Evening Parent Teacher Conferences
- October 23rd- Institute Day
- November 2nd- Parent Teacher Conferences 8:00AM - 3:00PM & 4:30PM - 8:00PM
- November 3rd- General Election- No School
- November 23-27- Thanksgiving Break
- December 21st- Winter Break Begins (We look forward to welcoming you back on January 4th)
Attendance Myths and Facts
Myth: My child can catch up later in school.
Fact: Learning builds every day! Even a few days absent from school can disrupt learning and student routines.
Myth: It's okay to miss school for travel.
Fact: Every day counts. Travel can count against unexcused absent count and work may not be eligible to be completed and made up. Being part of the classroom is essential for comprehension of content.
Myth: Teens are responsible enough to manage attendance on their own.
Fact: Teens still benefit from clear expectations, structure and support from adults.
Long Term Planning Habits
EdWeek research reported that teachers spend significant time repeating instruction to make up for students that have been gone due to tardy (late arrival) or travel. This time tallied up to an average of 30 hours of lost instructional time each year for students in the United States! Starting long term planning to ensure students are present in class each and every day of instruction is key. Here are some tips for long term planning:
- Be sure to check the school calendar and plan vacation during breaks and long weekends
- Be sure to note on your family calendar any school holidays
Attendance Habit Reflections
Thank you for all the Attendance Reflections shared. Congrats to Harsh from Granger for the randomly selected prize last month! Here are a few great tips shared by our families about how to set healthy attendance habits:
-Pack you bags and lunches the night before
-Use Sundays to plan and prepare the work and school week
-We plan all vacations around IPSD vacation days!
-Set good bedtime routines to begin to destress early evening