Bright Spots & Bold Solutions: Attendance Specialists by Alexandra Javna

CVille City

2025-03-04 18:15:56 UTC

Schools are req to have an attendance team - req assistant principal, MH professional, admin tech, and other interested be in the group.

2025-03-04 18:16:05 UTC

We do a perfect attendance cart monthly, where if all students are in class, our teachers submit a record through something we create and we go around and reward all students and the teacher

Henrico

2025-03-04 18:17:10 UTC

Elementary- SSW takes lead on attendance and partners with registrar, principal, School counselor- look at data as a team to assist students.

Richmond

sarah_bazemore1 — 2025-03-04 18:17:31 UTC

Progressive model, everyone plays a roll.

2025-03-04 18:17:54 UTC

Attendance Team-Attendance Liaison, principal, 2 social workers, an admin, our attendance secretary, 1 guidance counselor and 1 teacher. As the attendance Liaison I make the phone call, meetings and what not usually.

Room 2

marthamontgomery — 2025-03-04 18:18:06 UTC

Most school divisions have attendance technicians or specialists; but some have APs and school social workers engaged in attendance/truancy work at the school level.

We have a collaborative approach. Teachers are the first line of communication at 3 days, then counselors at 5 days, and then school social & admin at 10 days or beyond. We hold the required meetings (5,10,11 days). I am the school social worker and I oversee the entire process as well as our incentive programs.

2025-03-04 18:18:35 UTC

Montgomery

2025-03-04 18:18:45 UTC

Area they are looking at and want to improve. County tier intervention specialists but they are spread thin so more support is needed. Admin/leaders do most now.

Our Division Attendance Protocol

2025-03-04 18:18:52 UTC

The leadership comes from everyone; just as all students are our students, we all lead and are responsible for the work in our division. Our protocol is here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1944fP1_LBwzXBCaP53g9vF7EcHGgrzFP/view?usp=sharing

(Dr. Mandy Zayatz - mzayatz@mcpsva.org - 571-377-6045)

I like the idea of celebrating the small wins and praising students for improved attendance.

2025-03-04 18:19:27 UTC

Helpful things learned

2025-03-04 18:19:56 UTC

Having a visual of who is involved and what that looks like is helpful.

How do you approach students from cultures that do not have the same attitude about school attendance? I have a large immigrant population, and I run into this a lot. I feel like our immigrant families are disproportionately impacted.

2025-03-04 18:21:30 UTC

2025-03-04 18:22:21 UTC

Using third party vendor to communicate. Tone of messages are very soft/non-punitive.

Room 5

2025-03-04 18:22:43 UTC

Laura said- semi team approach principals, counselors, secretary. would like to have teachers more involved

Mandy-getting more traction in secondary level, using personal connection from teachers, how to get buy in from teachers? principals promoting it to everyone, schools had significant drop had teachers calling. Parents may get upset if they get the first call from sowk vs teacher

Kristy- used to be teacher now a school counselor, surprised on how teacher can be uncomfortable at times, coming from a place of "we missed you" let us know if we can help. can be a barrier

Group 4

2025-03-04 18:22:52 UTC

Louisa teams consist of specialist, teacher, social worker, attendance secretary, admin and school counselors. Attendance secretaries and admin reach out directly to families, and teachers follow up sharing the importance of attendance and ways to get back on track such as make up time being offered through study hall or extended learning after school. Team meets weekly to discuss students at each school level. Primary attendance spreadsheet is kept with team access. Elementary schools meet once a month, while in communication weekly. Must be collaborative, very much a team effort with a unified mission for student success. In other divisions, challenges to have teachers stay longer after school to support learning...some offer incentives for extended work day and extra pay.

Attendance Celebrations

sarah_bazemore1 — 2025-03-04 18:22:55 UTC

Glow dance- blacked out the gym and every student got a glow stick. Student/Teacher Basketball Game- students with strong attendance could attend. Fun Friday- teacher led activities that students could select from (reflected teacher's hobbies and interests). Reward for those with strong attendance: Ice Cream Truck, Hot Chocolate and a Cookie, Snow Cones

tier 1

2025-03-04 18:23:04 UTC

I'm super interested in hearing more from Alexandria about how they are implementing LEAP and Check and Connect

We have an Attendance Hero Club that provides incentives for students who have improved their attendance, as well as school-wide celebrations, grade level competitions, classroom incentives

2025-03-04 18:23:47 UTC

Montgomery

2025-03-04 18:24:51 UTC

Liked- Heavy push staring in elementary with parents. Being more intentional about the importance of attendance with info that goes home.

Random raffles / Dragon phrase /

Need to prioritize school attendance teams

Room 5

2025-03-04 18:25:38 UTC

Not have all 7 teachers call, designate 1 teacher (i.e. homeroom). bc it may frustrate the parents

Laura- have teachers complete data form? student data story. reason for why absent? (i.e. homelessness, transportation) not documented well

Dinwiddie

sarah_bazemore1 — 2025-03-04 18:26:35 UTC

Student Support Specialists: Students have to know they matter, and they have to know we care. That is the foundation. Knowing the families and knowing the kids is important. Kids should know the face of the person that calls their house regarding their attendance.

Teachers with Personal Contact have less absences

2025-03-04 18:27:01 UTC

I LOVED the data work Alexandria presented that showed the teachers with the most personal contact had the least absences. GREAT connection! I plan to connect the data and share, share, share in our division. (Thanks, Alexandria!!)

(Dr. Mandy Zayatz - mzayatz@mcpsva.org - Manassas City Public Schools)

Chesterfield

2025-03-04 18:27:20 UTC

Attendance specialists- new to county.

9 total for county. Each has two schools = 19 schools.

I like the idea of having students share on announcements or in morning meeting etc the reasons they love coming to school .

2025-03-04 18:27:45 UTC

Room 2

marthamontgomery — 2025-03-04 18:27:53 UTC

Collaboration across roles help to get everyone on the same page. Communication from school to family (instead of division to family) seems to engage families better.

Group 4

2025-03-04 18:28:45 UTC

Team approach. Certainly takes a village. Check in person assigned to groups of students. Hero huddles- here every day on time, rewards such as stickers and stamps for consistent attendance. Covid illnesses have been a challenge because families often have to keep kids out for 5 days at times and don't quite acknowledge or agree with needing a student success plan since it does not fall into unexcused absence, especially when those children do not have any learning slipping and children are still on or above grade level and not in need of retention. These parent meetings have been challenging across most divisions- these parents are communicating, are in touch with the school about the illness and do bring in doctor's notes, but also unfortunately are meeting the thresh-hold for absenteeism

Room 5

2025-03-04 18:29:02 UTC

Laura- sunday messages, attendance impact, putting more things on social media channels, showcase "koalafied" to earn a reward :) spin a wheel

Kristy- school wide glow up party, some competitiveness, other students encourage each other, successful! find things the students buy in

Grade Level Incentives

2025-03-04 18:29:09 UTC

I LOVED the Glow Up idea presented in our room where the grade level with the lowest percentage of absences for the month is rewarded with a glow party. FUN and promotes a culture of belonging by creating a shared effort to get to that party! (:

Scott

2025-03-04 18:29:36 UTC

School-Court Liaisons - monitors attendance. Liaison's cover multiple schools.

Room 5

2025-03-04 18:30:19 UTC

Courtney-- raffle and win prizes, mascot is bulldogs "golden bone days"

sarah_bazemore1 — 2025-03-04 18:30:41 UTC

Administrators call student down to office at 5 absences to have a conversation about what is going on- to see if the student needs any support and revisits expectations and calls home.

2025-03-04 18:30:50 UTC

get kids involved- they keep track of attendance.

Room 5

2025-03-04 18:30:54 UTC

Kimberly- Accomack, like the idea having the teachers call

Group 4

2025-03-04 18:31:12 UTC

Do you still have challenges despite proactive attendance measures in place? We do still have challenges and despite the amount of work that we are doing, administrators and staff have become pretty discouraged to see that the absenteeism numbers weren't shifting despite all the work. What we do now is to focus on awarding attendance- the superintendent goes out monthly to share a special attendance success flag with the school admin and a group of students representative of the school.

Group 4

2025-03-04 18:32:17 UTC

Love the Hero Huddle idea! Continuing the all-hands-on-deck team approach and being focused on each child's success and connecting individually with families.

Room 2

marthamontgomery — 2025-03-04 18:32:22 UTC

Kinvolv and Unified Communications from PS are great products to help with family communication.

Room 4

2025-03-04 18:38:18 UTC

Elementary/Montgomery County: School Counselors lead attendance work in the school. SC work collaboratively with the Tiered Support Specialist who manages the spreadsheet for Chronic Absentees, and administration to participate in periodic meetings to discuss what supports and communication has happened with students and families.

2025-03-04 18:40:04 UTC

Newly developed weekly raffles, announcements of students who attended school each week and earned an incentive. Monthly the incentive changes to keep students interested and engaged. Weekly family memos are sent out emphasizing the importance of attendance and pictures are shared of raffle winners of the previous week.

2025-03-04 18:42:02 UTC

Hero huddle at the end of the week sounded like a meaningful way to support students, engage/motivate, and connect with students collectively. School wide activities to promote attendance (glow up party, announcements of students who want to share meaningful reasons they like to attend). Collaborative meetings with families.

Room 3

nakeishawhite — 2025-03-04 19:14:47 UTC

Building admin and truancy officers may have other various responsibilities; need specific attendance support staff.

Smaller divisions may need additional resources.

Teacher involvement is essential as parents and families have an already established trustworthy relationship.

Incentives are beneficial.

Room 3

nakeishawhite — 2025-03-04 19:16:47 UTC

Share attendance data with staff.

Have weekly attendance meetings.

Establish standards of excellence.

Room 3

nakeishawhite — 2025-03-04 19:21:15 UTC

Partner with community partners/vendors for incentives.

Incentives may benefit parents/families as well as students.

Incentives should be tailored towards student interest, such as sports.

Connect with the community for integrated partnerships such as apartment rental offices.

Connect with community-based/school liaisons.

Room 3

nakeishawhite — 2025-03-04 19:23:01 UTC

After-school opportunities where transportation, meals and homework help are offered benefits students, and families.

Slides

alexandrajavna — 2025-03-06 12:02:45 UTC