Desoto independent school district

September is National Attendance Awareness Month and the entire DeSoto ISD school community will unite in focus on keeping its students present and on time every school day.

DeSoto ISD will partner with its campuses to reiterate the attendance messages through weekly parent and daily student communication and has instituted several initiatives and activities to deepen their understanding celebrate good school attendance and raise awareness of the impacts of chronic absenteeism on future readiness.

Missing one school day or one class period is one day too many, therefore in addition to the month-long focus on attendance, DeSoto ISD is also launching its year-long school attendance, education, and recognition campaign, which is rooted in encouraging the students to maintain a 100% attendance rating every day, every class period.

The district will be reaching out to local community partners and organizations interested in celebrating students who are maintaining a perfect attendance record each six-week grading period according to the stated criteria.

Each campus will also have stated daily and weekly attendance goals to meet this year and will host incentive programs during September.

The National Center for Children in Poverty, (www.NCCP.org), surmises that students have to be present and engaged to learn. When students regularly attend, starting as early as preschool and kindergarten, they have an opportunity to achieve academically and thrive. 

The statistics from the Attendance Matters campaign highlighted by the U.S. Department of Education shared data on the long-term effects of absenteeism on student success. The research stated that when students are chronically absent which means missing 10% or more of the school year or 18 days over an entire year, they are less likely to read proficiently by third grade, achieve in middle school, and graduate from high school.

This information campaign alternatively shared that early learners who missed 9% or fewer days of school in Kindergarten and First Grade can read on grade level in third grade and beyond.

School attendance is important and the development of good school and class attendance habits is a job for all members of the school community. 

• Parents can provide a contingency plan for students to get to school in the event of an emergency or interruption in regular planning. Help students build relationships with friends and staff and encourage them to ask for the support needed.

• Teachers and district staff can ensure that students have a positive, engaging, safe, and supportive learning environment and keep an open line of communication with parents and students. Also, be diligent about attendance reporting.

• Students can prepare for school ahead of time, complete assignments, stay engaged with the lesson, communicate their needs, and be good models for attendance to peers and leaders.

 Attendance matters and DeSoto ISD is teaming up with the school community to ensure that all students are present and on time and able to achieve to their highest levels.