Let's Talk About Attendance

“Showing up matters for R.E.A.L. – Relationships, Engagement, Access to resources, and Learning!”

At Calusa Park Elementary, we believe that every day counts. Regular attendance is essential for academic success, social development, and building strong school habits. Even missing just 2 days a month can add up to chronic absenteeism, which puts students at risk of falling behind.

Under Florida law (F.S. 1003.21):

• Children ages 6–16 must attend school regularly.
• Parents are legally responsible for ensuring their child’s attendance.

Excessive unexcused absences may result in truancy referrals, court involvement, or driver’s license suspension for teens.

• Parents must notify the school within 24 hours of an absence.
• After 5 absences, families are contacted.
• After 7 absences, a formal letter is sent.
• After 10 absences, documentation may be required, and students may risk loss of credit in upper grades.

Let’s work together to avoid these steps by building strong attendance habits early!

• Learning builds day by day — even a few missed days can cause students to fall behind.
• Reading and math skills suffer when students miss school regularly.
• Students who are chronically absent in early grades are much less likely to read at grade level by third grade — a key predictor of future academic success.
• Missing just 10% of school each year adds up to over 230 days missed by graduation — that’s more than an entire school year of lost learning!
• By middle and high school, the stakes are even higher: chronically absent students are four times more likely to drop out of high school.

Help your child build strong habits with these strategies:

1. Set a consistent bedtime and morning routine.
2. Prepare the night before—lay out clothes, pack lunches, and organize backpacks.
3. Schedule appointments outside school hours.
4. Avoid vacations during school days.
5. Communicate with the school about any challenges.
6. Celebrate good attendance with praise or small rewards.
7. Use the Parent Portal to monitor attendance.
8. Build positive relationships with teachers and staff.

Tardiness affects more than just the start of the day:

• Students miss key instructional time, including morning routines, announcements, and foundational lessons.
• Late arrivals disrupt the classroom and instruction, affecting both the tardy student and their peers.
• Chronic tardiness is linked to lower grades, missed assessments, and weaker peer relationships.
• It can lead to poor habits that carry into adulthood and future careers.

All students are expected to arrive at school on time each day. Any student who is not in the building by 8:25 a.m. is considered tardy. Tardies are considered unexcused unless they are for pre-arranged religious instruction, religious holidays, or illness/injury supported by a written statement from a licensed physician. Please note that car trouble and oversleeping are not considered excused tardies. Whenever a student arrives late, both the student and parent/guardian must report to the front office to receive a pass before the student may be admitted to class. Tardy consequences reset at the beginning of each semester. Students with:

• 1-4 tardies will receive a warning
• 5-12 tardies will result in lunch detention
• 13 or more tardies may result in multiple lunch detentions, In-School Suspension (ISS), Out-of-School Suspension (OSS), an attendance agreement, and/or a parent conference.

1. Track your morning timing. If you're consistently 15 minutes late, set your alarm 15 minutes earlier.
2. Create a calm morning routine. Avoid rushing by prepping the night before.
3. Use visual reminders. Post schedules or countdowns to help children stay on track.
4. Celebrate punctuality. Use praise, stickers, or shout-outs for on-time arrivals.
5. Build a welcoming start to the day. Help your child look forward to morning activities.
6. Collaborate with other families. Carpooling or shared routines can help with transportation challenges.
7. Talk about the importance of being on time. Help children understand how it affects their learning and friendships.

Visit Attendance Works for:

• Handouts in English, Spanish, Haitian Creole, and more
• Tips for managing health-related absences
• Guidance on building strong attendance habits

If your child will be absent or late, please call our front office at 239-377-6400 or send a note within 24 hours.

Communicate with us if your child is struggling with health, anxiety, or other barriers to attendance, we’re here to help!

Together, we can ensure every student at Calusa Park is present, on time, and ready to learn.