1. Improving Attendance Strategies and Tips for Dealing with Students with Chronic Absences Jennifer Godin and Andrea Graham James Madison and Heritage Elementary Schools

2. Agenda O Heritage Elementary O Attendance Team O Schoolwide Attendance Awareness O Closing the Loopholes O Efforts with Individual Students’ Parents O Attendance Groups O James Madison Elementary O Home Visits!! O Resources

3. Attendance Team

4. O Americorps Mentor O Secretary O Counselors O Principal (sometimes) O Teachers have a huge part

5. Attendance Awareness O Pick a month to focus on Attendance O Letters 1-2 x per week O Attendance Policy O Early Checkouts O Tardy policy O Why Parent Calls and Letters

7. Closing the Loopholes O My Child is Sick O Parent Excused Absences O Vacations for a month

11. Efforts with Individual Students and Families O Group Effort O Steps O First Friendly Letter O Second Letter with Principal Visit O Third Letter with Court Language O Attendance Contract O Court Referral O Follow District Policy

13. KEY!!! O Attendance Tracker O Link to Tracker Link to Tracker O Link to Results Link to Results

14. Attendance Groups

16. Group Data

17. Home Visits

18. Wrap Up O Questions O Ideas O Resources – Attendance Works O Toolkit Toolkit