Mrs. B.'s Bulletin

Cato Elementary is off to a great start in the 2022-23 school year! It is wonderful to have all of our students back in the classroom and learning under normal conditions. As we get further into the school year, we would like to remind you of the importance of good attendance for all students. Every day a student is absent is a lost opportunity for learning. Too many absences not only can affect achievement for the absent student but also can disrupt learning for the entire class.

Research shows that students who consistently miss school are at risk of lower academic achievement, failure and even dropping out of school altogether. Bringing awareness to the issue of chronic absenteeism, and providing information and resources to parents can help improve student attendance and, consequently, student achievement. We saw during the pandemic how important it is for all students to be learning in-person from their teachers and alongside their classmates.

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. Good attendance will help children do well in high school, college and in their careers.

What you can do:

• Avoid scheduling vacations when school is in session. They are considered unexcused absences.
• Build regular routines for bedtime and the morning.
• Lay out clothes and pack backpacks the night before.
• Talk about the importance of regular attendance and about how your child feels about school.
• Don’t permit missing school unless your child is truly sick. Use a thermometer to check for a fever. Remember that stomach aches and headaches may be signs of anxiety.
• If your child seems anxious about going to school, talk to teachers, school counselors, or other parents for advice on how to make him/her feel comfortable and excited about learning.
• Avoid medical appointments when school is in session.
• Keep a chart recording your child’s attendance at home. At the end of the week, talk with your child about what you see.
• Develop back up plans for getting to school if something comes up. Ask a family member, neighbor or another parent for help.
• Seek support from school staff or community groups to help with transportation, health problems, or no safe path to school.

If you didn't know, our school receives a "letter grade" each year that shows how we are doing in many different areas, including attendance. Your student helps our school get a point if he/she is not considered "chronically absent". If your child misses less than 5% of the total number of days of school (7 days or less), he/she gives us one point. If your child misses between 5-9% of the total number of days (between 8 and 16 days), he/she gives us half of a point. These points add up and help us improve our report card score. Each weekend, I will be contacting you if your child is missing more than 3 days of school for the year. This will just be a reminder that we need your child in school, and to see how we can help improve their attendance.

We do not want your child to come to school sick, but we strongly encourage their attendance if they are not sick. Not only does it help our school score, but more importantly, it increases the chances that your child will be a strong reader and mathematician, and will graduate from high school. Please let me know if you have any questions about this. Thanks for partnering with us! ❤️ Mrs. Bottoms