Every September, we kick off the start of the school year with Attendance Awareness Month, and this year is no different! E.L. Haynes is a learning community where every student—of every race, socioeconomic status, home language, and ability—prepares to thrive in college, career, and life. And for that to happen, students need to be in the classroom, every day, on time, for the entire school day.
If a student regularly misses school or is late, they will miss out on meaningful learning experiences and can fall behind. We design our school day to be full of active learning from the moment a student enters our doors until they leave at the end of the day.
Attendance Awareness Flyer Contest
To celebrate the power of good attendance, we invite every E.L. Haynes student to submit an original flyer design that illustrates the importance of why attendance is important. Students can create either a digital or hard-copy design. The deadline to submit is Tuesday, September 27. Review our contest guidelines to learn more.
See below for more information about why attendance matters, and how you can support your students in showing up for school ready to learn — every day, on time! Download our Attendance Matters information sheet.
Great Attendance Boosts Learning At Every Age
- Starting in Pre-K, good attendance helps students in every grade meet critical learning milestones that can improve learning and likelihood of success later in life.
- Missing just two days each month can negatively affect a student’s success in school.
- Coming to school on time, every day, improves learning for all students. Good attendance allows teachers to teach every student most effectively throughout the class period.
- Missing fewer than nine days of school every year can help keep students engaged, successful, and on track to graduate.
How You Can Support Strong Attendance
- Talk about why attendance matters with your student.
- Set a regular bedtime, choose outfits, and pack backpacks the night before.
- Have a back-up plan for getting to school.
- Set regular routines like finishing homework and getting a good night’s rest.
- Stay on top of your child’s social life. Peer pressure can lead to skipping school.
- Notice and support your children if they feel anxious.
- Let us know about upcoming absences as soon as possible.
Read Our Attendance Policy
Review our Attendance Policy for more information about what counts as an excused absence, how to to report absences, and what happens when students regularly miss class. Want a hard copy? Download our Attendance Matters information sheet in English or Spanish for easy access.