Excellent Schools: Attendance Awareness Month

September was Attendance Awareness Month. This plays a crucial role in Full-Service Community Schools (FSCS) because it emphasizes the importance of regular school attendance for academic success, student well-being, and community development. By addressing attendance through the lens of community support, FSCS can improve outcomes for students and families, helping ensure that every child has the opportunity to succeed academically and personally. Mobile Area Community School Taskforce used various innovative ideas and incentives to encourage attendance during September.

• ACCEL's commitment to promoting Perfect Attendance for September was just the beginning. They are dedicated to continuing our attendance incentives throughout the year. Students who maintained perfect attendance in September received a FREE ACCEL t-shirt, a symbol of their commitment that can be proudly worn on Tuesday or Wednesday. As they move into October, students with Perfect Attendance will be rewarded with a “special lunch.” They will also be recognizing students with Quarterly Perfect Attendance, who will receive a gift card. And the excitement doesn't stop there-the homeroom with the highest Attendance Percentage for the Year will win a field trip to Top Golf or Surge.
• Chickasaw Middle and High School students who have successfully met the attendance challenge by maintaining a record of no tardies to school or class, no early dismissals, no excused or unexcused absences, and no office referrals were rewarded with a complimentary Chickasaw Chieftain sweatshirt. This special sweatshirt is allowed to be worn to school on Fridays. Additionally, these dedicated students earned the privilege of an out-of-uniform day along with a free snack from the school canteen. The attendance challenge at Chickasaw Middle and High School has been expanded to the Semester Attendance Challenge. Students who successfully meet the attendance challenge will be treated to an exciting dance party in the gym at the conclusion of each semester. The party will feature delicious food and a professional DJ to keep the celebration lively. Furthermore, these accomplished students will have the opportunity to win exciting prizes such as a 32-inch flat-screen color TV, a Drone, an iPad, or a Polaroid camera as a token of appreciation for their outstanding commitment to attendance.
• Chickasaw Elementary and Intermediate School excited its students about being on time and at school every day with a “pop-up” attendance day. On September 23rd, all students on time for school with no early dismissals were entered into a drawing for a Polaroid camera. Chickasaw Elementary and Intermediate School will continue throughout the school year by including quarterly attendance incentives and awareness events for families. They also plan to target kindergarten and first-grade teachers, students, and families because their data shows that the lower grades, Kindergarten and first grades, have the most absences. The FSCS coordinator has scheduled meetings with parents/guardians to discuss the importance of attendance.

Using incentives to promote attendance during Attendance Awareness Month can be an effective strategy to encourage students and families to improve attendance.