Published on Tue., December 3, 2024
Attendance Matters!
Did You Know?
- Starting in preschool and kindergarten, too many absences can cause children to fall behind in school.
- Missing 10%, or about 2 days each month over the course of a school year, can make it harder to learn to read.
- Students can still fall behind if they miss just 1 or 2 days every few weeks.
- Being late to school may lead to poor attendance.
- Absences and tardiness can affect the whole classroom if the teacher has to slow down learning to help children catch up.
Attending school regularly helps children feel better about school—and themselves. Start
building this habit in preschool so they learn right away that going to school on time, every day is important. Eventually good attendance will be a skill that will help them succeed in high school and college.
What Can You Do?
- Set a regular bedtime and morning routine and lay out clothes and pack a backpack the night before.
- Keep your child healthy and make sure your child has the required shots.
- Introduce your children to their teachers and classmates before school starts.
- Develop backup plans for transportation by calling on a family member, a neighbor, or another parent.
- Try to schedule appointments and extended trips when school isn’t in session.
- If your child seems bored or anxious (this can present as frequent stomachaches and/or headaches) about school, talk to teachers, school counselors and other parents for advice on how to make your child feel comfortable and excited about learning.
- If your child must stay home due to illness, ask the teacher for resources and ideas to continue learning at home.
For more information, visit www.doe.virginia.gov/parents-students/parent-resources/attendance.