Superintendent’s Chat

Richard McClements, Shonto Preparatory School

 

Everyone has a health problem from time to time, and some are completely out of our control.  Some may be more susceptible to disease, the flu, or the common cold.  Nevertheless, student and staff attendance in this school district needs to be improved. Study after study indicates that there is a powerful correlation between student grades and attendance.  Here is one that I completed several years ago for 5th graders during a 10-week marking period:

Analysis of 5th Grade Students

Impact of Attendance on Grade-Point Average

 

Student Average

Total Absences

Tardy

90-98

0.387

0.4

84-89

0.726

0.143

77-83

1.190

.0.143

69-76

2.091

0.591

<68

2.625

.250

 

Did you notice the pattern?  The lower the student average – the higher is the average of absences.  It should not be surprising.  How can you expect to learn as well if you are not in school?   Already this year, we have had several high school students miss more than 20 days during a 9-week marking period.  I would rather have 100 high school students who are serious about learning than 1,000 who see school as a place where they periodically come to socialize.  Our K-8 School also has far too many students with poor attendance.

 

The terrible attendance ratio at Shonto is going to become a thing of the past.  On January 3rd,  the School Board approved the first reading of a policy which directs the high school administration to enforce a tough attendance policy.  Students with excessive absenteeism will not receive course credit.  There is an active intervention program in which the high school administration involves parents. Parents who are not cooperative in addressing the problem can expect to have a child neglect petition filed with the Department of Social Services.  Soon, the rule of thumb will be you had better come to school or there will be consequences.   

 

The blame for poor attendance must be shared by students who want to just skate through their education, parents who allow their children to stay home when they are not ill, and the staff and/or administration who have not enforced our attendance policy .  Our school staff also has a poor attendance percentage compared to off reservation schools – perhaps twice the typical average I am use to seeing.   This irresponsibility also sends the wrong message.  Staff could set a better example and are expected to do so.