Mrs. McKinney
Improving Attendance | Tips for Parents
DID YOU KNOW?
• Starting in kindergarten, too many absences can cause children to fall behind in school.
• Missing 10 percent (or about 18 days) can make it harder to learn to read.
• Students can still fall behind if they miss just one or two days every few weeks.
• Being late to school may lead to poor attendance.
• Absences can affect the whole classroom if the teacher has to slow down learning to help children catch up.
Attending school every day helps children feel better about school—and themselves. You can help your child develop good attendance habits as early as preschool. Starting kids off early will help them learn right away that going to school on time and every day is important. We all want our children to be successful in life. Help children get a jump on student achievement by practicing good attendance habits. Good attendance will help them do well later in school, college, and at work.
Routines Rock!
✓ Be consistent about bed times to ensure your child gets a full night’s rest.
Kids need about 9 – 10 hours of sleep each night.
✓ Set the alarm and wake up on time.
✓ Eat a nutritious breakfast every day. Kids need energy to perform well
at school.
✓ Don’t miss the bus or your carpool! Develop relationships with friends and
neighbors to assist with transportation.
✓ Make a commitment to get your child to school on time, every day.
✓ Get your son or daughter excited about going to school; have
them join a school club or extracurricular activities.
✓ Get involved in your child’s school; become a parent volunteer.
✓ Don’t schedule dentist and medical appointments during
school hours.
✓ Keep your child at home if he/she is truly sick. Note: Nausea or headaches might be signs of anxiety so ask for medical advice.