We have seen a significant increase in chronic absenteeism across many of our schools and want to stress the importance of regular school attendance as the cornerstone of academic success and future opportunities for your child(ren). Under Maine State Law, students are required to attend school regularly, with elementary students expected to maintain at least 90% attendance. Missing just two days a month can result in chronic absenteeism—defined as missing 10% or more of school days—which can severely impact your child’s ability to build foundational skills in reading, writing, and math.
Research shows that students who miss significant instructional time in the early grades are at much higher risk of falling behind academically, with gaps in learning that are increasingly difficult to bridge. Chronic absenteeism can lead to lower standardized test scores, reduced academic performance, and even a decreased likelihood of graduating high school. In fact, students with frequent absences in elementary school are up to 75% more likely to face academic struggles in later years.
We understand that families may encounter challenges that affect school attendance, and we are here to help. Our staff is committed to working with parents to address any barriers and ensure your child has the support needed to thrive. If you’re experiencing difficulties related to attendance, please don’t hesitate to reach out. Together, we can prioritize consistent attendance and set the foundation for your child’s future success.
Center of Technology Enrollment
Now is the time to consider enrolling your child in the various programs at the Biddeford Regional Center of Technology (COT). If your child is interested in career and technical education opportunities, the COT is now scheduling program visits and accepting applications for the 2024-2025 School Year. Space is limited, so I encourage you to talk with your child about the options available and have them schedule an appointment with their guidance counselor before Winter Break: February 17-21.
Update on the Cybersecurity Incident
Thank you for your patience as we address the recent cybersecurity incident involving PowerSchool, our student information system. Over the past few weeks, PowerSchool has taken steps to assess the scope of the data involved, enhance its cybersecurity defenses, and develop resources to support our school community.
To ensure the protection of impacted individuals, PowerSchool has partnered with Experian, a trusted credit reporting agency, to provide complimentary identity protection and credit monitoring services:
Identity Protection: Two years of complimentary identity protection services will be offered to all students and educators whose information was involved.
Credit Monitoring: Two years of complimentary credit monitoring services will be provided to affected adult students and educators. Credit monitoring agencies do not offer credit monitoring services for individuals under the age of 18. If a parent/guardian enrolls an individual under the age of 18 in the offered identity protection services, the individual, upon turning 18, will have the opportunity to enroll in credit monitoring services for the duration of the two-year coverage period.
In the coming weeks, PowerSchool will begin notifying impacted individuals and relevant regulatory agencies. Notifications will include detailed information about these services and access to a call center for any questions. For additional details, you can review the PowerSchool website at https://www.powerschool.com/security/sis-incident/. We understand the importance of safeguarding your information, and we appreciate PowerSchool’s efforts to ensure risk is mitigated for our families.
My Best,
Jeremy Ray
Superintendent of Schools
