What You Should Know about Middle School Attendance
Know your school’s attendance policies. At the beginning of the year, you should receive information about how many absences and parent/guardian excuse notes are allowed.
Check with the school about their “too sick for school” policies so that you know when to keep your child home.
Attendance is important for middle school as there are activities that can’t be done outside of class, including hands-on activities, bell-ringer assignments, and group work.
Regular attendance is also important in building friendships and other essential developmental tasks of adolescence.
If your student starts not wanting to go to school, it’s important to find out why. You may find a simple solution; for example, your student may need more time in the morning to get ready. You may also find that you need to work with a team of caring adults, like the principal and counselor, if there is a larger issue such as bullying.
You can support your students’ attendance:
Set high expectations about attending school and talk with your child about why you have those expectations.
Work with your teen to help them get enough sleep.
Work with your teen on how long it takes to get ready in the morning. Some students would rather be absent than have the extra attention they receive when coming to school tardy.
Help your student find an extracurricular activity that makes them want to be in school.
Help your student find time to exercise outside of school. Exercise helps with sleep and mental health.
Have daily conversations with your student so that you’ll be aware of red flags, like anxiety or conflict with peers, before a crisis might happen.
