Every day a student is absent is a lost opportunity to learn. Too many absences can not only affect achievement for the absent student, but also can disrupt learning for the entire class.

FROM DAY ONE, BE THERE

For every child to have an equal opportunity to succeed, it is important to make sure every child is present, engaged, and accounted for as soon as they begin school. Click here to see the academic calendar.

There is an unquestionable link between school attendance and school achievement. Attendance in elementary school, particularly the early years, is very important because children are building the foundational knowledge for reading and math, which will help them succeed throughout all of their years in school.

Our students are important to us and we want them to be with us each school day!

Parents and families can help in the following ways:

• Build regular routines for bedtime and the morning.

• Lay out clothes and pack backpacks the night before.

• Talk about the importance of regular attendance and about how your child feels about school.

• Don’t permit missing school unless your child is truly sick. Remember, stomach aches and headaches may be signs of anxiety.

• If your child seems anxious about going to school, talk to teachers, school counselors, or other parents for advice on how to make them feel comfortable and excited about learning.

• Avoid medical appointments and extended trips when school

  is in session.

• Develop back up plans for getting to school if something comes up.

• Ask a family member, neighbor, or another parent for help.

• Monitor your child’s attendance through Alvin ISD’s Skyward Family Access portal from the district homepage, www.alvinisd.net

Anxiety may be associated with poor attendance at school, which can lead to a range of adverse outcomes.

How can parents and school professionals help:

Identify triggers.

A helpful first step is for you and your children to become aware of and recognize what causes them to feel intense anxiety. Once those triggers are identified, you can implement many of the tips below.

Validate and empathize.

Children’s thoughts, emotions and experiences are real to them. No matter how you think or feel about their experiences, it is important for your children to feel heard, validated and understood.

Challenge unhelpful thinking.

Ask your children to talk you through the thoughts they are experiencing that are unhelpful and causing them distress, such as “I am going to fail my test and then fail my class.” Once you know what thoughts your children are telling themselves, you can work with them to identify more realistic, helpful thoughts.

Practice deep breathing.

Deep belly breathing is a tool to help calm down, refocus and think clearer. It increases oxygen levels in the bloodstream and decreases heart rate, breathing rate, muscle tension and stress level.

Break down tasks.

Break down tasks into smaller steps so the overall process feels less daunting.

Role-play.

If your children are worried about specific situations, role-play those feared situations to help them prepare.

Build overall confidence.

Have your children perform tasks around the house to contribute to the family and build confidence. Offer your children opportunities to face challenges. It is important to praise their efforts and focus less on results.