Absenteeism

Tips for Parents and Guardians on Improving Your Child’s School Attendance:

No TV on school mornings.
Teach kids to set and use their own alarm clock or clock radio.
Have kids choose clothes the night before.
Have schoolwork and lunch ready and laid out, ready to go.
Have kids bathe or shower in the evening.
If your child does not want to go to school, find out why and work with your school and child to address concerns.
Do not provide inappropriate excuses for your child to miss school.
Have your child walk to school or the bus stop with another child who is always on time.
Have your child go to bed 10 minutes earlier and get up 10 minutes earlier.
When your child is ready for school on time, praise and reward them!
Get to know your children’s friends and their families and make connections with other families that value school attendance.
Ask teachers and staff at your child’s school and other family members for advice on how to keep your child going to school – on time, every day!

Ms R. DiGiovanni, Ms. A. Mauro, Mr. D. Sartor, Ms. C. Stocco Why We Must Stop Absenteeism Absenteeism Hurts \| Truancy Guidelines \| Barriers to Attendance \| Tips for Parents and Guardians
Absenteeism Hurts Everyone Absenteeism hurts the student: Students who are frequently absent fall behind in academics and miss important socialization concepts that enhance their ability to understand and follow directions or, ultimately, plan for the future. Absenteeism =Dropping out and thenThe Odds Stacked Against You: High school dropouts are two-and-a-half times more likely to need social assistance than high school graduates and are almost twice as likely to be unemployed, according to a U.S. Department of Education 1996 finding. Studies show that truancy frequently leads to criminal activity, drug use, and incarceration. According to recent statistics, about 50 percent of prison inmates in the USA are high school dropouts and cost society well over $240 billion in lost wages and taxes over their lifetimes. Absenteeism hurts other students: Students who are frequently absent require more individual attention from the teacher.
Guidelines for Understanding and Preventing Truancy Truancy is not the problem—it’s an indicator of other problems. When students aren’t in school, we need to understand why they stay away before we can put solutions into effect. Several factors are known to be barriers to student attendance:
Barriers to Student Attendance: Associating with the wrong kinds of friends Feeling resentment toward authority Putting time into a job to earn money for themselves or for their families Using drugs or alcohol Having problems relating to people Being the victim of bullying Feeling little support or experiencing conflict at home Believing the school doesn’t offer interesting, challenging, or rewarding classes or activities Falling behind others in math or reading skills and skipping classes when not doing well, thereby perpetuating a lack of skills and a tendency to avoid school Experiencing personal barriers, e.g., language problems, racial or cultural conflicts, and embarrassment because of a lack of suitable or clean clothing; or teen pregnancy Being held back a grade or more Being suspended or expelled
Tips for Parents and Guardians on Improving Your Child’s School Attendance: No TV on school mornings. Teach kids to set and use their own alarm clock or clock radio. Have kids choose clothes the night before. Have schoolwork and lunch ready and laid out, ready to go. Have kids bathe or shower in the evening. If your child does not want to go to school, find out why and work with your school and child to address concerns. Do not provide inappropriate excuses for your child to miss school. Have your child walk to school or the bus stop with another child who is always on time. Have your child go to bed 10 minutes earlier and get up 10 minutes earlier. When your child is ready for school on time, praise and reward them! Get to know your children’s friends and their families and make connections with other families that value school attendance. Ask teachers and staff at your child’s school and other family members for advice on how to keep your child going to school – on time, every day!
Here at St. Thomas More, we can help. Please contact the Student Success Office at 905-388-3030 x 263
			*Adapted from SCHOOL ATTENDANCE IMPROVEMENT HANDBOOK: The California Department of Education Safe Schools & Violence Prevention Office, 2005