Absence Does Not Make the School’s Heart Grow Fonder
School attendance plays a very large role in academic success. Absenteeism early in a student’s school career is a possible indicator of poor performance and absenteeism in a future job. There are many stakeholders involved in helping a student catch up on lost skills and missed homework, and those stakeholders include more than just the students and educators.
Why It Matters
- School outcomes are at stake.
Schools have certain benchmark requirements for student performance in order to meet state and federal standards. There may be certain consequences, oftentimes financial, when benchmarks are not met. States use a school district’s average daily attendance to allocate the funding it will receive. Fewer financial resources may also result in fewer students attending the school, leading to a less desirable rating for the community. - The surrounding community can suffer.
When a school has less-than-desirable student outcomes, fewer people are attracted to a community. Fewer residents can lead to an economic downturn for the community, making it more difficult to attract quality educators and businesses. - Your student’s future is affected.
Absenteeism can lead to chronic absenteeism, which can lead to increased frustration and stress about missing key concepts and ultimately an overall lack of interest in school and academics. Students with frequent absences have higher dropout rates, leading to long-term consequences, such as a lower average income and higher incidences of unemployment.
What Your Student Can Do Now
- Show up and do the work.
Nothing worth having is easy to get. Most of us want to take a sick day every now and then, especially when we don’t want to face an event that remarkably coincides with a stomachache. Overcoming obstacles and facing fears happens throughout a lifetime, building resiliency and adaptability to conflicts that inevitably occur. Consistent attendance is a habit to develop before high school begins. - Find a friend.
Your student can sit next to a classmate who has some good qualities to emulate. They should find one who is frequently engaged in classroom discussions, always completes the homework on time and seems prepared for exams. Good grades are the result of consistent effort, not good luck.
What Your Student Can Do Later
- Enjoy a reward at the end.
Whether it is self-satisfaction, ice cream or a perfect attendance award, your student should earn some type of reward for a job well-done.
What You Can Do
- Show by example.
Explain how you interact with others in your workplace and how a task or duty is impacted if just one person is absent. Project delays cost the company money and time, resulting in an unmet deadline. Relate it to actual dollars and how those costs eventually are passed on to the consumer. Most jobs have multiple working parts involving many talented employees who must work cohesively toward a goal. - Highlight other workplace benefits.
Working closely with others establishes friendships and relationships that have positive social-emotional outcomes. Personal interactions and working toward a common goal provide a sense of teamwork and satisfaction, which also validates a person’s inner sense of worth. Stress how teamwork is always a trigger word that employers use when hiring, and more demonstrations of this characteristic will set a job candidate apart from others. - Set expectations.
If expectations haven’t been previously discussed, now is the time to set them so your student develops a sense of responsibility and accountability. Attending school isn’t an option but a requirement; it’s better to set that standard before entering high school where more flexibility may occur due to open campus hours or early dismissal options and so forth.
Next Steps
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