Attendance H.E.R.O.

🧡I pray all our families and extended families are safe from the storms over the weekend.

We are continuing our efforts to help improve attendance and decrease chronic tardiness with the implementation of our “Attendance H.E.R.O.” (Here Everyday Ready On-Time) program! We cannot take steps towards success without you. Students can earn prizes, certificates, class awards, and class parties for their great attendance habits! Help your scholar earn these rewards by getting them to school every day, ready to learn and on time.

🐯Our schoolwide goal is to increase our Average Daily Attendance to 95% (no more than 10 students absent schoolwide per day).

💥A week in Review: It was a short week due to Hurricane Helene. Check out our overall attendance breakdown by grade level for September 23-27th:

• KG: 83.3%🔽
• 1st: 93.5%🔼
• 2nd: 93.1%🔽
• 3rd: 94.7%🔽
• 4th: 88.2%🔽
• 5th: 88.2%🔽

❗Overall attendance was down last week. Let's get back on track and set our sights on success!

***You will receive more frequent attendance notifications from Ms. Martinez regarding your child's attendance. Please know after 5 absences or 5 tardies, you will receive a notice and invitation to attend an Attendance Intervention Team meeting to determine next steps.

Read more about how you can support your scholar and our attendance policy below!

💡Students Who Arrive Late and Leave School Early Miss Out on Key Learning Opportunities:

Chronic tardiness is when students are consistently late to class and can have dramatic results on a student’s future education and career. Similarly, students who leave school early miss out on valuable instructional time.

Tiger students who arrive late and leave early from school miss out on key learning opportunities such as morning meetings, morning announcements, academic activities, tests and quizzes, and social interactions with peers.

Research has found that not only do students who are chronically tardy perform poorly on their test scores, but so do their more prompt peers. The less time students spend in the classroom means the less they can contribute; often leading to class being disrupted, placing group and class projects on hold, and making less significant peer connections.

ON TIME STUDENTS ARE SUCCESSFUL STUDENTS

Student attendance is one of the most common predictors of academic achievement. Students who consistently miss school hours develop habits that will lead into their adult life, affecting their education, career, and social connections.

Alert: Our school performance is tied directly to attendance and participation. Currently, the percentage of students at Tiger who are chronically absent is 34.2%. We need your help to decrease this percentage and increase educational success.

❗Reminder: Students are considered Tardy after 8am, and the breakfast line closes at 7:55. If you want your student to receive breakfast please ensure they are here no later than 7:45 so they have time to go through the line.

Florida Statute 1003.24 states that each parent of a child of compulsory school age shall be responsible for each child’s school attendance as required by law. The absence of a student from school is prima facie evidence of a violation of this section. Florida statute 1003.27(7)(1) states that a parent who refuses or fails to have a minor student who is under his/her control attend school regularly shall be guilty of a misdemeanor of the second degree, punishable by law. Truancy: A student who has (5) unexcused absences within a calendar month, or ten (10) unexcused absences within a 90- calendar-day period would be considered a truant student.

Providing an Absence Excuse: The preferred communication method is to email the school or to provide a note with your child for the reason of the absence.

Excused Absences: Any child who is absent from school must present a written excuse signed by the parent or guardian immediately upon his/ her return. The note must clearly indicate the reason for absence and must be presented within three (3) school days from the child’s return to school. Please note that a phone call does not excuse your child’s absence. An email will be accepted if it is submitted within three days of the absence.

Parents and students will be invited to attend Attendance Intervention Team meetings to address chronic absences and tardies beginning at the 5 unexcused absence mark. Absences and tardies accrued after the initial AIT meeting will result in further action steps as outline in our parent and student handbook on our Tiger Website: ymcatigeracademy.org

If you have questions regarding your scholars attendance please contact Jennifer Martinez, School Counselor at (904) 309-6840 x3075 or jmartinez@fcymca.org.