Kaw Valley Parents,
As we look forward to welcoming our students to the 23-24 school year. We also want to share information on a very important district priority, Chronic Absenteeism. During the pandemic, the academic focus shifted away from the value of class discussion and group projects to an assignment completion model. Loss of class discussion time and student driven instruction has had a negative impact on student academic performance. Chronic Absenteeism
Counts all absences (excused, unexcused, and suspensions)
Missing 2 days a month
Emphasizes the academic impact of lost instruction
The administration team is going to be working diligently to communicate with you to ensure you are aware of your student's attendance status. Research shows that missing as little as 2-3 days per month can translate into third-graders unable to master reading, sixth-graders failing courses, and ultimately, teens dropping out of high school. Here are some things you as a parent can do to help reduce absenteeism.
Talk to your child about why going to school every day is critical and important unless they are sick.
Establish and stick to the basic routines (going to bed early, waking up on time, etc.) that will help your child develop the habit of on-time attendance.
Come up with backup plans for who to turn to (another friend or family member, mentor) to help you get your child to school if something comes up.
Reach out for help if you are experiencing tough times that make it difficult to get your child to school.
If your child has to be absent, work with your teacher to make sure she or he has an opportunity to learn and make up for the academics missed.
Avoid extended vacations that require children to miss school. Try to schedule vacations with the school calendar. Between professional development, holiday breaks, and other days off, there are a number of 3 and 4 day weekends built into the calendar.
The same goes for doctor’s appointments.
Communicate with the school office. We want to work to help you remove barriers to student attendance.
If you want more information on the Chronic Absenteeism Concern, Read Here HealthyChildren.org
The Kaw Valley Chronic Absenteeism rate more than doubled between 2017 and 2022. In the 2022-23 School Year, 44% of our high school Seniors and 39% of our high school juniors were considered Chronically absent.
We want to work together to help all our students improve their attendance. Help us help them to “Show Up” every day.
Thanks,
Kerry S. Lacock
Superintendent of Schools
Kaw Valley USD #321