Hello Eisenhower Families,

When I was growing up, my father, whose advice often was whimsical and inventive, (and sometimes contrary to his expectations for his kids), would tell me that “90% of life is showing up over half of the time.”  While I’m still not sure exactly what he meant…I know that he meant attendance is important, and his expectation for me was ironclad to be present at things to which I was obligated.

As we move forward into the second semester of the school year, I want to emphasize the importance of consistent attendance.  Excused and unexcused absences represent lost time in the classroom and lost opportunities to learn.  Consider the following:

• Students who miss more than 10% of the total school days a school year are chronically absent.  While 10% doesn’t sound like much, it is approximately 18 full days of school.  For some students, this constitutes missing one day every two weeks of school and can add up.  Over 4 years, this would constitute missing almost ½ of a school year.

• The Warning Zone: Students in the SDNB are permitted up to 10 days of absences for any reason (if attendance procedures are followed.)  Often, these are coded as “ill” or “parent request”.  Students who miss 10 days have approximately a 93% attendance rate.  Missing 10 or more absences a year while in school can still add up to the equivalent of 1/4 of an entire school year of missed instruction.

• The Space of Good Attendance:  Students with 9 or fewer absences each year generally achieve higher grades and enjoy school.  Research shows that students who attend school make the most of their educational opportunities if they attend regularly and on time.

Instructional time spent in the classroom is an essential component of student success! Your child’s time spent in class is an opportunity to learn directly from our teachers and one another. I think we can all agree and understand that there is no way to duplicate a classroom experience after a student has been absent.

When a parent calls their child out of school the absence is entered as an excused absence.  Excused absences count towards the total number allowed by the Wisconsin state statute 118.15(1)(a) and also towards cum laude status, open campus, and athletic participation.  Exempt absences do not add to your total count. So…

Not all Absences Are the Same…

When your child’s attendance record indicates that they are on pace to bypass the allowable number of days, you will receive a letter from us to let you know.  Once a student’s attendance approaches the chronically absent level, you will receive a letter, a phone call, and a request to set up a meeting.  That meeting intends to help, inform, and discuss strategies to make sure your child gets to school regularly so that they do not fall further behind.

As a parent myself, I fully understand how hectic lives are and that some missed days are unavoidable.  As an educator and a parent, I know the best thing you can do for your child is to ensure they have the very best education and that means they must attend school regularly.

If you have any questions about your child’s absences or you want to brainstorm some strategies with us, please do not hesitate to contact any of our outstanding school counselors.  This can be a tough and emotional thing to enter into discussions about, but I assure you that together we have the same goal – to provide the very best education, support, and learning opportunities for your child so that they can find success.