Attending school regularly helps children feel better about school—and themselves.  Start building this habit in preschool so they learn right away that going to school on time, every day is important.  Good attendance will help children do well in high school, college, and work!*

Help Us Build School Success with Good Attendance!

• Set a regular bedtime and a morning routine for children in the home.
• Lay out clothes, backpacks, and coats the night before school to save time in the morning.
• Don’t let your child stay home unless he/she is truly sick.  Keep in mind complaints of a stomachache or headache can sometimes be a sign of anxiety and not a reason to stay home.
• If your child seems anxious about going to school, talk to their teacher for suggestions on how make him/her feel more comfortable.
•  Develop a back-up plan for getting to school if something comes up.  Call on a family member, a family friend, a neighbor, or another trusted parent from our school.
• Avoid medical appointments for anyone in the family that will impact a child’s attendance.
• Avoid extended trips when school is in session.

​When Are Absences a Problem in Preschool? It depends on the program/schedule they attend: 

2-half-day Program:  Satisfactory or better attendance is 1-2 sessions for the school year. 

3-half-day Program: Satisfactory or better attendance is 1-4 sessions for the school year.

4-half-day Program:  Satisfactory or better attendance is 1-5 sessions for the school year.

Chronic absence is considered missing 10% or more of school*.  When are absences considered chronic? 

2-half-day Program:  7 or more sessions. 

3-half-day Program: 9 or more sessions. 

4-half-day Program:  12 or more sessions. 

DID YOU KNOW?*

·       Absences can affect the whole classroom if the teacher has to slow down learning to help children catch up.

·       Being late to school may lead to poor attendance.

·       Missing 10% of school can make it harder to learn to read.

·       Starting in kindergarten, too many absences can cause children to fall behind in school. 

*Sources:  Attendanceworks.org and Reachoutandread.org