Attendance

Get them in school! Keep them in school! Teach them to proficiency!

The Director of Pupil Personnel works closely with schools in the district to help remove barriers that may be preventing children from being in school. As part of Kentucky's compulsory attendance law, a truant is defined as any student who has three unexcused absences/tardies, and a habitual truant is defined as any student who has six or more unexcused absences/tardies. It is the responsibility of the DPP to investigate cases of nonattendance and enforce all aspects of the law. The DPP manages demographic and attendance records. The office submits all required attendance reports to the Kentucky Department of Education and is also in charge of the transfer of all appropriate records to an electronic format.
 

The Home/Hospital Program

The Home/Hospital Program is a service to students unable to attend regular school for medical reasons. The Home/Hospital teacher serves as a liaison between participating students and their classroom teachers. Assignments are gathered and presented to students at a minimum of two visits each week with at least one hour of instruction each visit. The program is not designed for long-term instruction but for relatively short periods of time. An application process must be completed with the attending physician participating. Application forms may be obtained at the Central Office and are also available on our website.
 

Importance of Attendance

One of the most important things your child can do to achieve academic success is also one of the most basic: going to school every day. In fact, research has shown that your child's attendance record may be the biggest factor influencing her academic success. By attending class regularly, your child is more likely to keep up with the daily lessons and assignments and take quizzes and tests on time. There are other benefits as well:

Achievement
Students who attend school regularly are more likely to pass reading and math assessments than students who don't attend school regularly.

Opportunity
For older students, being in school every day gives them a chance to learn more about college and scholarship opportunities, and to take the important exams they need to build a successful academic record.

Being part of the school community
Just by being present at school, your child is learning how to be a good citizen by participating in the school community, learning valuable social skills, and developing a broader world view.

The importance of education
Your commitment to school attendance will also send a message to your child that education is a priority, going to school every day is a big part of educational success, and that it's important to take your responsibilities seriously including going to school.
 

What You Can Do 

As a parent or guardian, it is possible to plan ahead in order to limit your child's absences, make school attendance a priority, and help your child from falling behind if it is necessary to miss a day of school. You can do this in the following ways:
 
Help your child get to school on time every day.
Babysitting, problems with a car or late bus, and the weather are not permissible reasons to miss school. Frequently coming to school late may also be noted on your child's permanent record, and will make it difficult for your child to stay caught up with the first lessons of each morning. Teach your child how to set and use an alarm clock, and keep the television turned off in the morning.

Follow the school's guidelines and attendance policy, and report excused absences immediately.
At the beginning of the school year, review the school's rules and make sure you understand whom you need to call if your child is going to be absent.

Check homework.
Check each night to see that your child understands and completes the day's homework assignments.

Take an active role.
Stay involved with your child's daily experiences at school by asking how the school day went, and then listening carefully to what your child shares with you both the successes and struggles. Make it a point to meet your child's teacher and friends.

Locate potential sources of anxiety. 
If your child frequently appears upset or reluctant to go to school and cannot tell you why, schedule an appointment with his or her teacher or school counselor to talk about possible sources of the anxiety.

Keep updated on school events and announcements.
Read the school documents that your child brings home and take note of important announcements and dates, such as back-to-school night and parent-teacher conferences.

Try to limit the amount of time that your child misses school due to medical appointments or illness.
If possible, avoid scheduling doctor's appointments during the school day.  Allow your child to stay home only in the case of contagious or severe illnesses. Students who miss days, weeks, or months of school at a time will have a difficult time passing their courses and catching up to their peers. For older students, prolonged absences may make it very difficult to graduate from high school.

Schedule family events with your child's school schedule in mind.
Plan holiday celebrations or family trips during weekends or school vacations. In the case of family emergencies or unexpected trips, talk to your child's teacher as far in advance as possible and set up a way that your child can work ahead or bring important homework on the trip.

Plan ahead.
Encourage your child to prepare for the next school day by laying out clothes the night before and helping to fix lunches.

Promote good health.
Make sure that your child eats a balanced diet with plenty of fruits and vegetables, and has opportunities to exercise every day through a sports team or playtime outside.

Create a restful environment.
Finally, make sure that your child can relax before bedtime by doing something quiet like reading rather than do something stimulating, like watching television. Getting enough sleep will help them get up on time, be refreshed in the morning, and feel ready for a full day of learning ahead!