Let Children Know that Good Attendance is Important:
Let your child know that you think attending school daily is important. Show them you are interested in their school activities and tell them that you want them to do well in school.
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Good attendance habits start at an early age. Regardless of grade level, make sure your child goes to school regularly and on time. This helps him or her develop a positive view of school and understand the importance of attendance.
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Become involved in your child’s school life and activities.
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Take an interest in your child’s school work. Check homework for accuracy and completeness.
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Pay attention to school information. Read the school newsletter. Post the school calendar and notes on the refrigerator, or other prominent location to highlight school activities and important student information.
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Do not provide inappropriate excuses for your child to miss school. Do not let them take time off from school for minor ailments.
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Don’t expect or allow older children to stay home from school to babysit younger siblings.
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Set good examples and enforce rules.
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Make a contract with your child to improve his or her attendance. Reward positive improvements.
Establish a Routine
Give yourself and children enough time to get ready. No TV on school mornings.
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Provide your child with his or her own alarm clock. Teach kids to set and use their own alarm clock or clock radio.
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Set the alarm 30 minutes earlier for students who need more time to get ready for school.
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Plan ahead the night before. Have kids choose clothes and shoes the night before and pack their backpacks with completed homework and snacks/water. Parents can prepare for work the night before too.
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Set a regular bedtime schedule.
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Have your child go to bed 10 minutes earlier and get up 10 minutes earlier.
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Have kids bathe or shower in the evening.
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Help your child relax before bedtime with a book or story.
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Have schoolwork and lunch ready and laid out, ready to go. Create a special folder for completed assignments.
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Provide regular study times and a quiet, clean area for doing homework.
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Have your child walk to school or the bus stop with another child who is always on time.
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Limit and balance extra-curricular activities.
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Have a back-up plan.
Show Interest in Student’s Activities
Attend Parent Teacher Conferences.
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Attend Back to School Night and Parent Meetings.
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When you can, volunteer in the classroom, on field trips or during school events.
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Talk about school each evening. Ask your child about his or her day.
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Encourage your child to get involved in their school. Sign them up for activities they like or an after-school program. Studies show the more involved a child and parents are with their school, the better their attendance.
Keep Open Lines of Communication with your Children, Teacher and Principal
Let the school know in advance if your child is going to be absent or if you have concerns about your child’s attendance or performance.
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Report all absences on the day the student will miss by contacting the school.
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If your child does not want to go to school, find out why. Let’s work together to address concerns.
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If you notice that your child is avoiding a particular class or is having a difficult time in one subject area, please discuss this with your child and his or her teacher.
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Get to know your children’s friends and their families and make connections with other families that value school attendance.
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Contact the school for help if your child or your family is in need of support.
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Ask teachers, school staff and other family members for advice on how to keep your child going to school – on time, every day.
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Keep a school year calendar. Write on the bottom how many days your child was absent each month. You also want to track all of the important dates, holiday and events at school.
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Make sure your child knows that you do not approve of him or her being late or absent. Talk about any issues that may be making him or her late for school.
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Do not let your child persuade you into making an excuse for him/her. Don’t give up.
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Reward good behavior and take it one day at a time.
Signs that your child may be experiencing stress or worry include:
Headaches or stomach aches
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Sleep difficulty or nightmares
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Avoiding peers or family activities
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Not being able to focus on tasks
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A drop in grades
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Changes in emotion