Best Practices
Izabelle's mother leaves the house by 6:30am. Izabelle over slept and realized she missed the bus. What steps could she have taken to not over sleep and make it to the bus stop?
1) Set Multiple Alarms – She could have set an alarm (or multiple) to ensure she wakes up on time.
2) Create a back up plan with a person (mom, relative, friend) to call and make sure she is awake and up.
3) Go to bed at a reasonable time to be rested in the morning.
What are some potential long-term consequences for students with poor attendance?
1) Students with poor attendance have a higher chance of dropping out of school.
2) Poor work habits that extend beyond school and impact a person in the workforce. Could lead to reduced opportunities for jobs and higher income levels.
3) Socially disconnected from peer group and school community.
If you had a personal theme song that played every time you walked into school, what would it be and why?
Must answer both questions to earn full credit.
Whose responsiblility is it to ensure a child attends school?
Students, Parents, School leaders and Community Leaders.
Every person has a role to play. We must work together to ensure every student has access to education.
How many days in a school year?
180
Javon wakes up, but he has difficulty getting out the door on time and misses the bus. What could he have done to catch the bus on time?
1) Prepare the Night Before – Laying out clothes, packing his backpack, and getting lunch ready the night before would save time in the morning.
2) Follow a Morning Routine – Sticking to a structured routine (getting dressed, eating breakfast, and brushing teeth efficiently) would help him stay on schedule.
3) Check the Time Frequently – Keeping an eye on the clock could remind him to stay on track.
What happens to a teenager's social development if they miss too much school?
1) Difficulty building frienships
2) Poor Social skills development
3) Increased anxiety and low confidence
Absences can make it harder to form and maintain friendships, leading to feelings of isolation.
Missing school may lead to struggles in group settings, making it harder to work with peers later in life.
Students who frequently miss school may feel out of place or behind socially when they return.
If coming to school daily gave you superpowers, what power would you want? Why?
Must answer both questions to earn full credit.
If you are having an issue with coming to school, what adult can you talk to at school about this problem?
1) Academic Counselor - who is your counselor?
2) Wellness Suite
3) Teachers or staff
A student is considered "Chronically absent" for missing how many days of school?
A student is chronically absent if they miss 10% or more of the school year, which equates to 18 days of school for entire school year.
Note* 10% can also mean - ie: if you go to school for the month of September and miss 2 out of 20 days, you are "chronically absent for the month of September*
Name at least one legitimate sickness that would make it okay to stay home from school.
1) A temperature higher than 100.2 F
2) Vomiting or diarrhea
3) Eye infection
Reasons to come: Even if you do not feel 100 percent, you should come to school:
If you have a runny nose or just a little cough
If you haven't had a fever for 24 hours
If you haven't vomited or had diarrhea for 24 hours
Being tired is common. It's important to go to school.
Name one aspect of your life that is impacted from missing school.
Grades, social relationships, homework piles up, fall behind in classwork, miss classroom instruction, need to make up work while keeping up with current work.
What is 1 reason why you have missed school?
What is 1 reason you need to be in school?
Must answer in full to receive credit.
What are some steps the school may take if a student misses too many days of school?
1) A meeting needs to take place where they will create a collaborative Attendance Plan.
2) If absences continue and the plan in place is not being followed, the student may be referred to the school social worker where the case may end up in court.
How many hours of sleep is recommended for students to be well-rested and perform at their best in school?
Middle and high school students typically need about 10 to 12 hours of sleep each night to be well-rested and perform optimally in school. Sleep is crucial for cognitive function, mood regulation, and overall health.
Sheila didn't study for a test and begged to stay home from school. Why is this a poor decision?
1) Falling Behind on Learning – Missing school means she will miss important lessons, making it even harder to catch up.
2) Developing Bad Habits – Avoiding challenges instead of facing them can lead to a habit of procrastination and poor problem-solving skills.
3) Increased Anxiety – The test won’t go away, and delaying it may cause more stress when she eventually has to take it.
4) Loss of Trust – If Sheila’s parents or teachers find out she skipped school for the test, it could damage their trust in her.
5) Missed Opportunity to Improve – Even if she isn’t fully prepared, taking the test can help her learn from mistakes and do better next time.
How is attendance related to after school activities?
If you're not at school, you are unable to participate in after school activities. You also need to maintain good grades to be eligible for after school activities.
What reward do students who win the attendance drawing each day this week receive? What is the reward on Friday?
Goodie bags (M-Th)
Gift Card to Chick-fil-A (F)
What are some things that parents can do to help minimize their children missing school?
1) Build regular routines for bed time and morning.
2) Avoid medical appointments and family trips during school times.
3) Develop back up plans for getting to school if a problem occurs (family member, neighbor or friendl).
What is the recommended screen time limit for optimal learning for middle school students?
No more than 2 hours per day.
This includes activities like gaming, social media, and watching videos. However, school-related screen use (for homework and learning) is separate from this limit.
Too much screen time—especially over 4-5 hours daily—can lead to:
Evan missed several days of school and is now very behind in his work. He is now failing 3 classes. He feels overwhelmed and feels he can't get caught up. What can Evan do to improve this situation?
1) Visit the Resource room if he has an IEP.
2) Make arrangements with teachers to get help in each subject. Communicating with teachers is very important to receive extra support.
3) Make a Plan – Breaking down his missing assignments into smaller tasks and setting daily goals will make the workload feel more manageable. His academic counselor can help!
4) Prioritize Work – He should focus on the most urgent or important assignments first, especially those that will have the biggest impact on his grades.
5) Ask for Help – Seeking help from teachers, classmates, tutors, his academic counselor, or family members can make the process easier.
We want you to be successful. You are not alone and teachers want to help. The worst thing to do is not ask for help.
How can being absent impact your grades?
Missed instruction means you are not learning the information that will be needed to do well on quizzes, tests and assignments; having a direct impact on your grades.
*Have you ever heard the phrase "you've got to be in it to win it"- once you miss a lesson, you miss that learning opportunity-it's very unlikely that you will be able to recapture that learning opportunity.
What do you say to yourself when you don't want to go to school but know you need to get up and get out the door?
Must answer in full to receive credit.
Where can you look up your attendance record for this school year?
Your attendance record can be found in PowerSchool.
*Look up how many days you have been absent so far this year. Challenge yourself to improve your attendance each week and each month for the rest of the school year.
What time should you arrive to school daily to make sure you are in class on time?
The doors open at 8:00 a.m.
Class begins at 8:30 a.m.