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“Your education is a dress rehearsal for a life that is yours to lead, don’t miss the rehearsals.” ~ Nora Ephron
As we begin Marking Period 2, it is a good time to reflect on a key factor in student success: consistent attendance. Every day at school provides students with instruction, practice, collaboration, feedback, and connection to their teachers and classmates. The routines students establish now set the tone for the rest of the year.
Research consistently links high attendance rates to higher academic performance. In addition to consistent attendance, arriving on time and remaining through the final bell are also important. When students do not attend classes regularly, they miss instruction, opportunities to ask questions, group activities, teacher feedback, and important class discussions. At Winston School, we fully understand the complex reasons impacting attendance and that illnesses, family responsibilities, and medical appointments sometimes make partial and full-day absences unavoidable. Whenever possible, we encourage families to prioritize school attendance and plan vacations and appointments outside of the school day and take advantage of our scheduled early dismissal days when possible.
Here are some proven ways to set your student up for school success:
Create a consistent evening routine. Set a regular bedtime, charge devices outside the bedroom, and prepare clothes, backpacks, lunches, and transportation plans the night before. This reduces morning stress and starts the day on a positive note.
Build in extra morning time. Aim to have your student ready 10–15 minutes before they need to leave. A buffer helps families handle common issues, such as missing shoes, a delayed ride, and forgotten materials, setting up a smooth start to the day.
Talk with your student about why attendance matters. Connect school attendance to your student’s own goals such as: passing classes, participating in activities, maintaining athletic eligibility, building friendships, graduating, pursuing career plans, or improved feeling of well-being.
Address avoidance early. If a student frequently reports stomachaches, headaches, anxiety, conflict with peers, academic frustration, or reluctance to attend, please contact us. The Winston team may be able to help coordinate support with you before attendance declines further.
Thank you for partnering with us to make attendance and full-day participation a priority. Every school day and every minute of it matters for student learning, well-being, and long-term success.
Joshua Weeden
Assistant Principal
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