What Parents Can Do to Ensure Great Attendance
1. Talk It Up: Attending school regularly is your child’s No. 1 responsibility. Reinforce that expectation frequently, and discuss how school attendance affects your child’s ability to achieve success in school, to graduate on time and to prepare for a bright future.
2. Walk the Talk: Schedule vacations or recreational activities for weekends or breaks. Even if your child appears to be doing well in school, allowing him or her to miss class for discretionary reasons sends the wrong message.
3. Sound the Alarm: Tardiness disrupts the learning process for your child and others in the class. Set the clock and make sure your child arrives at school on time.
4. Pencil It In: Don’t book routine appointments such as physicals or dental cleanings during school hours. Try after school or during breaks in the school calendar.
5. Check That Balance: Monitor your child’s attendance via Norfolk Public Schools’ online grade book, eSembler. If you don’t already have access to eSembler, your child’s school can give you a Parent Access Sheet, and then you can log in at http://gb.nps.k12.va.us/.
6. Make a Report: If your child must miss school for illness or an emergency, alert the teachers and make arrangements to complete missed assignments or homework.
7. Present and Accounted For: Make sure your child’s school has up-to-date contact information for you, including phone numbers and address.
8. The Best Medicine: Students should not come to school if they are truly ill. Consult your health care professional or the school nurse for guidance.
9. Listen and Learn: If your child seems reluctant to attend school, listen for issues such as bullying or struggles with class work. Emphasize that you understand and will help, but that avoiding school doesn’t solve problems: It creates more problems. Loop in your child’s teacher(s). School counselors also can be a tremendous help in working through issues that are causing stress for your child. School staff members are partners with you in ensuring your child’s success.
