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Attendance Tips

Chronic absenteeism, missing two or more days of school per month, has a profoundly negative effect on scholar achievement.

According to the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI), the number of Federal Way scholars who had 18+ full day absences (2016–17) was 5,590 or 24.17 percent. That’s almost one in four of our scholars.

We want to ensure each scholar has the opportunity to attend school today, graduate tomorrow. Check out these top reasons to go to school every day and how parents can support their child’s attendance.

What Students Can Do

School is your first and most important job.
 
You’re learning about more than math and reading. You’re learning how to show up for school on time every day, so that when you graduate and get a job, you’ll know how to show up for work on time every day.
 
Check out Get Schooled and Ready Set Grad for motivation!
 
  • Students who attend school regularly are more likely to graduate and find good jobs. In fact, a high school graduate makes, on average, a million dollars more than a dropout over a lifetime.
  • School only gets harder when you stay home too much. Sometimes it’s tempting to stay home because you’ve got too much work or you don’t understand what’s going on in class. But missing a day only makes that worse.
  • Communicate concerns that may affect your school attendance to parents or school staff. Work with them to develop an attendance agreement identifying things you can do, your parents or guardians can do, and your school can do to help improve your attendance.

What Parents Can Do

Parents are an incredible support in reducing chronic absenteeism at school. Check out these tips to help your child attend school every day:

  • Encourage and model positive attitudes towards learning, waking up on time and having good attendance.
  • Lay out clothes and pack backpacks the night before.
  • Plan family vacations during school breaks and days off and schedule medical/dental appointments outside of the school day, whenever possible.
  • Do not excuse absences for sleeping in, “not feeling well” if the child is not sick.
  • Keep a regular bedtime/sleep schedule in your home, to help them get the rest they need.
  • Parents can set attendance goals with their scholars, track goals and offer rewards for meeting these goals.
  • Encourage scholars to become involved in activities, sports and events at the school. Scholars make friends, develop connections to other scholars and to caring adults and become excited and prideful about being a part of their school environment.