Dear Parents and Guardians,
Each year, Sultan High School continues to make a special effort to ensure that all students fully benefit from their education by attending school regularly. Attending school regularly helps children feel better about being in school—and themselves. Your student can start building this habit early on so they learn right away that going to school on time, every day is important. Regular, consistent attendance will help our young people do well in high school, college, and at work.
DID YOU KNOW?
- Missing 10 percent (or about 18 days) increases the chance that your students will not read or master math at the same level as their peers.
- Students can still fall behind if they miss just or two days every few weeks.
- Being late to school may lead to poor attendance.
- By 6th grade, absenteeism is one of three signs that a student may drop out of high school.
- By being present at school, your child learns valuable social skills and has the opportunity to develop meaningful relationships with other students and school staff.
- Absences can be a sign that a student is losing interest in school, struggling with school work, dealing with a bully, or facing some other potentially serious difficulty.
- By 9th grade, regular and high attendance is a better predictor of graduation rates than 8th-grade test scores.
WHAT WE NEED FROM YOU
Remember, first period starts at 7:45. This means that students should be in classrooms ready to learn when the bell rings. If you are dropping your student off in the morning, they should be dropped off early enough to get to their first-period class. The afternoon is similar: learning happens right up until the end of the day at 2:28. Please avoid early pick-up as much as possible.
Additionally, SHS is a closed campus, meaning that once students arrive, they are expected to stay on campus until the end of the day. Students may not leave campus without prior parent/guardian permission, including going to the parking lot. Late arrivals of students and early pickups interrupt class learning for other students, so we thank you in advance for making sure your student is in the classroom when learning starts and until learning ends.
We miss your student when they are gone and we value their contributions to our school. We ask you to help ensure that your student attends regularly to help be successful in school. If your student must be absent, please excuse these absences by calling 360.793.9860 and pressing 4 or emailing attndanceSHS@sultan.k12.wa.us
OUR PROMISE TO YOU
We know that there are a wide variety of reasons that students are absent from school, from health concerns to transportation challenges. There are many people in our building prepared to help you if you or your student face challenges in getting to school regularly or on time. We promise to track attendance daily, and notice when your student is missing from class. If we start to notice a pattern of absenteeism, we will communicate to better understand why your student has been absent and to identify barriers and supports available to overcome challenges. Each student has a team of professionals dedicated to supporting their success, including their counselor or associate principal. Your student’s success is our success!
SCHOOL POLICIES AND STATE LAWS
It is important that you understand our school policies and procedures, as well as Washington State Law, to ensure your child is successful in school. State law for mandatory attendance called the Becca Bill, requires children from age 8 to 17 to attend a public school, private school, or a district-approved home school program. Children who are 6- or 7 years old are not required to be enrolled in school. However, if parents enroll their 6- or 7-year-old, the student must attend full-time. Youth who are 16 or older may be excused from attending public school if they meet certain requirements. http://apps.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=28A.225
We, the school, are required to take daily attendance and notify you when your student has an unexcused absence. This is done through an auto-dial system.
How can families help with regular attendance?
- Set a regular bedtime and morning routine.
- Prepare for school the night before, finish homework, and get a good night’s sleep.
- Don’t let your student stay home unless they are truly sick. Keep in mind complaints of a stomach ache or headache can be a sign of anxiety and not a reason to stay home.
- Avoid appointments and extended trips when school is in session.
- Develop backup plans for getting to school if something comes up. Call on a family member, a neighbor, or another parent.
- Keep track of your student’s attendance. Missing more than 9 days could put your student at risk of falling behind.
- Talk to your student about the importance of attendance.
- Talk to your student's teachers if you notice sudden changes in behavior. These could be tied to something going on at school.
- Encourage meaningful afterschool activities, including sports and clubs.
- Talk to your student about responsible phone use around bedtime; discourage them from scrolling apps or playing games when they should be sleeping.
- Ensure they have an alarm or the alarm on their phone is turned on.
Remember, we all want the same thing: the success of your student. Together, we can help our young people get the most out of their time at Sultan High School!