We are in the midst of our best weather of the year and summer vacation is just around the corner. Though the school year is coming to a close, we wanted to remind parents that attendance in these last few weeks are just as important as it is at the beginning of the year.

According to an absenteeism report by Everyone Graduates Inc., academic achievement “especially in math, is very sensitive to attendance, and absence of even two weeks during one school year matters.” In addition:

• Chronic absence in kindergarten is associated with lower academic performance in first grade. The impact is twice as great for students from low-income families.
• A Baltimore study found a strong relationship between sixth-grade attendance and the percentage of students graduating on time or within a year of their expected high school graduation.
• Chronic absenteeism increases achievement gaps at the elementary, middle and high school levels.

We are very sympathetic to the fact that sometimes, students need to be absent because of illness or other situations. Here are some ways that parents can help reduce the number of absences:

• Family vacations should not be scheduled during a time when school is in session.
• The final minutes of the school day are crucial for students. Please do not sign your student out early.
• The best gift you can give your child is a good education. And the best place to get that education is in school. Every day. On time.
• Building a habit of good attendance is your child’s ticket to success in school and eventually on the job.
• Every year, absences spike in the days before a holiday or school break. It’s time to break that cycle.
• We know it’s tempting to extend your vacation by a few days on either side of a holiday. Please have your student in school!
• Just a few missed days here and there, even if they’re excused absences, can add up to too much lost learning time and put your child behind in school. This is as true in kindergarten as it is in high school.

Please make sure your student is in school every day, right up until vacation starts. Our teachers will be teaching, and our students will be learning.