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New York State
education law requires that all children, ages six through 16, attend school
regularly. Making sure that they are there each day is the parent's
responsibility.
However, the
importance of school attendance goes beyond meeting the letter of the law. In
order for kids to be successful, they need to be in school and on task every
day. This is more important now than ever before.
Attendance and
academic achievement go hand-in-hand
The coursework in
today's middle schools is simply more challenging than it used to be - and
students who are frequently absent are setting themselves up for serious
academic problems.
As eighth-graders,
students must take a series of important state tests that measure their
abilities in English/language arts, math, science and social studies. Students
who come to school each day and work hard at their studies fare better on these
tests - showing they have the foundation necessary to do well in high school
where the stakes are even higher.
Students who score
poorly on the eighth grade exams (or other key exams in grades six and seven)
receive academic intervention services. This may include remedial classes,
one-on-one tutoring, summer school classes or other services to help them catch
up academically. Yet playing "catch-up" is something students should
try to avoid since it will seriously limit their high school coursework options
and could delay graduation.
The bottom line:
Making sure your child is at school every day is one of the most powerful ways
parents can ensure success - in middle school, high school and beyond.
Other benefits
of good attendance
Making school
attendance a priority can also help your child learn good work and study habits.
On average, middle schoolers have one to two hours of homework each night. Even
one missed day can mean having to tackle three or more hours of homework the
following night - practically a guarantee that kids will not be doing their best
work in their rush to just get through it all.
Getting to school
each day, whether they feel like it or not, also prepares kids to meet future,
responsibilities. Imagine, for example, what would happen if your son or
daughter regularly skipped college classes or was a frequent "no show"
at a future job. The same holds true for getting to school on time. Frequent
tardiness would not be tolerated in the workplace; parents teach a valuable
lesson when they teach the importance of arriving to school on time every day.
Things families
can do to ensure kids are in school and learning:
1. Make
academics a priority. Let your kids know that you expect them to go to school
every day and do their best while there. At this stage in their lives, learning
should be "job one." Granted, there are the occasional sick days, but
young, healthy children rarely need to miss more than a few days each year. Talk
about the consequences of missing school in terms that will hit home for them
(e.g., having to stay after school to make up missed work, needing to attend
remedial classes, missing out on after school sports and clubs or time with
friends.)
2. Help your
child get organized. Create a space in your home for kids to store backpacks,
coats, sneakers and other supplies. Develop a routine where children help pack
their own lunches and do necessary laundry the night before. This will make
mornings less hectic and help kids get out the door and onto the bus on time.
Getting organized can also help create a calmer atmosphere at home, leading to
better attitudes and openness to learning when kids arrive at school.
3. Set reasonable
bedtimes. On average, middle schoolers need about nine hours of sleep to be
healthy and alert. As they move into the teen years, kids' brains begin to
signal them to stay up later. This is why they also want to sleep in later the
next day. However, a midnight bedtime on a school night makes the six a.m.
wake-up call tough to meet - and doesn't give them nearly enough sleep. Despite
what nature is telling them, reinforce reasonable bedtimes for your kids and
encourage them to get up and get ready on their own. (A loud alarm clock can be
a useful tool in this effort!) A work first/play later policy (e.g. homework
before sports, activities, friends, the computer) with regard to homework can
also help make sure they're not working on homework into the wee hours when they
should be sleeping.
4. Make medical
and other appointments during non-school hours whenever possible. Schedule
family vacations during school holidays or the summer recess so that students
aren't missing important lessons and struggling to make up for lost ground.
5. Keep track of your child's
absences. Excessive absences might be a sign of other physical or emotional
problems. These might be personal, such as a failed relationship with another
student or fear of being bullied. Or it might be academic, such as a conflict
with a teacher or fear of failing a test. If absences become common, talk with
your child and enlist the help of his or her guidance counselor, teachers or
pediatrician. Working as a team can help provide a clearer picture of what's
really at the source of the attendance problem.
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