IMPORTANCE OF ATTENDANCE
Attendance plays a significant factor in student success. In addition to missed classes, poor attendance includes students arriving late to class, taking extra-long bathroom/water breaks, leaving class early, etc.
Not only does poor attendance increase the likelihood of student disengagement and failure, but it may also be an indicator of an underlying issue (ie. anxiety, addiction, lack of sleep, bullying, learning difficulties, social problems, etc.).
It is critical that we work together to support students with attending all their classes every day. The earlier we can intervene when a student is struggling with attendance, the more success we will have in changing their behaviour.
RESPONSIBILITIES:
Parents:
· Help students understand the importance of being in class and on time every day.
· Call the school at (250) 832-2136 or email jlj@sd83.bc.ca to excuse absences or lates.
· Monitor attendance via the MyEd Parent Portal.
Students:
· Be on time and stay in class and on campus.
· Communicate with teachers about missed work when absent.
· Sign in and out of the office with parent permission if needing to leave during instructional time.
Teachers:
· Complete attendance promptly.
· Follow up with late or absent students.
· Contact parents if attendance issues persist.
Office Staff:
· Notify parents by email within the first 50 minutes of each class if their student is absent.
· Support PVP with monitoring student attendance.
PVP (Principal/Vice Principal):
· Monitor student attendance.
· Clearly communicate expectations.
· Follow up on persistent attendance issues.
INTERVENTION STRATEGIES:
For students with consistent attendance issues, we may implement interventions such as attendance contracts, making up missed class time, parent meetings, and progressive discipline.
COMMITMENT TO ATTEND:
For students who have been struggling with attendance, our initial focus will be welcoming them back to class and providing support as they re-engage in the current classroom activities. Once they have shown a commitment to attend, we will work with the student on a plan to get caught up on the essential learning they may have missed.
We appreciate your cooperation and support in ensuring that our students attend school regularly and punctually. Together, we can help our students achieve their full potential.
Sincerely,
Gord Ritchie Gloria Cox
Principal - JL Jackson Secondary School Vice-Principal – JL Jackson Secondary School
