William Kirby Huber heights schools
Regular attendance is an important factor in a student’s achievement at school and helps prepare them for the world of work. Students not in school have fewer opportunities to learn the material that enables them to succeed in their classes. Research on student attendance tells us several things:
• Students who eventually drop out of school are absent more often than other students beginning as early as the first grade.
• Students with high attendance rates score higher on achievement tests than those students who are frequently absent.
• High attendance rates are indicators of effective schools.
The Ohio Department of Education recognizes the importance of school attendance by including attendance as one of the indicators on the annual Local Report Card issued for each district and school building. The statewide attendance rate target is 93 percent.
The Huber Heights City Schools Board of Education recognizes the importance of student attendance through Board Policy JE. Policy JE outlines the steps that occur should a student begin to demonstrate poor attendance patterns. These steps include the following:
• Any student who misses more than five days with unexcused absences will receive a warning letter alerting the parent to the unexcused absences and requesting the student and parent to begin regular attendance immediately. An unexcused absence is an absence without a legitimate excuse.
• After 10 absences, including both excused and unexcused, the school will send home an excessive absence letter. The school will also include a printout of the student’s individual attendance history.
• After 10 unexcused absences, the school will complete the truant information court referral. This will be sent to the district attendance officer.
Parents are asked to send a note to school with their child after each absence explaining the reason for the absence. Failure to send the note will result in the absence being coded as unexcused.
We know that regular attendance will help students achieve in the classroom and prepare them for a successful life after graduation. Area business owners and managers tell us that they believe that it is important to set high expectations for attendance. By teaching our students the importance of being present in school, they are more likely to become productive citizens in our community.
If parents have questions about their child’s attendance, please contact the school.
As always, if you have questions about our schools, please contact me.
William Kirby is superintendent of Huber Heights Schools. Contact him at (937) 237-6300 or
William.Kirby@huberheightscity
schools.org.
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