August 29, 2023



Dear Barrington 220 Community, 

I hope your school year is off to a great start! I wanted to let you know that Barrington 220 is making a special effort to ensure that all students fully benefit from their education by attending school regularly. Attending school regularly helps children feel better about school—and themselves.

Barrington 220 values student attendance. For a student to have a successful experience, the student must be present in class. Any absence from school is a missed learning opportunity for your child. The data in a recent report from the U.S. Department of Education revealed that chronically absent students are more at risk for missing early learning milestones, failing courses, and not graduating on time. For this reason, it is important to make school attendance a top priority for your child.

WHAT YOU CAN DO

We miss our students when they are gone and we value our students’ contributions to our school. We would like you to help ensure that your student attends regularly and is successful in school. The following suggestions positively contribute to regular school attendance:

• Talk to your student about the importance of attendance.
• Set a regular bedtime and morning routine.
• Prepare for school the night before, finish homework, and get a good night’s sleep.
• Keep track of your student’s attendance by keeping a log or checking Infinite Campus. 
• Develop backup plans for getting to school if something comes up. Call on a family member, a neighbor, or another parent/guardian.
• Don’t let students stay home unless they are truly sick. Keep in mind complaints of a stomach ache or headache can be a sign of anxiety and not a reason to stay home.
• Talk to your student's teachers if you notice sudden changes in behavior. These could be tied to something going on at school.
• Avoid scheduling appointments, vacations, and extended trips when school is in session.

OUR PROMISE TO YOU 

We know that there are a wide variety of reasons that students are absent from school, from health concerns to transportation challenges. There are many people in our schools prepared to help you if you or your student face challenges in getting to school regularly or on time. Depending on your student’s grade or school, this may include your principal, assistant principal, dean, counselor, teacher, or all of the above. We promise to track attendance daily, to notice when your student is missing from class, communicate with you to understand why they were absent, and to identify supports available to overcome challenges you may face in helping your student attend school.  

We are always available to assist and support your child to fulfill our mission of empowering personal excellence in every learner.