Goals for the Attendance Plan

1. A school's response for this section should be in SMART format for improving attendance for each category reported in the data tables.
• Specific
• Measurable
• Attainable
• Realistic/Rewarding
• Timely
2. Address early grades at your school level (K & 1, 6th Grade, 9th Grade). Analyze school-wide data to determine needs at grade levels and times of year when challenges occur more often.

School attendance data are provided reporting percent of students with satisfactory attendance, at-risk attendance, chronic absenteeism, and severe chronic absenteeism. The two-year trend allows for comparison of attendance over time and an indication of how strategies implemented to improve attendance are working.

During the 2017/18 school year chronic absence was 88% (31 chronic absent and 249 severe chronic absent student).  Seagull's goal is to reduce overall chronic absent by 28 students.  Our student population has several barriers (family obligations, employment, etc.) that affect their attendance and academic achievement.  The objective of this goal is to improve student attendance in this area.
 

Tier 1 Strategies for Attendance

Tier 1 Strategies for Attendance - Address all five core ingredients. Tier 1 is aimed at 100% of students, parents, school staff, and community stakeholders. This is where you cast a wide net. Strategies are general to reach the largest audiences and include all employees and stakeholders.

Tiered plans will include strategies and interventions for the 5 core ingredients.

• Monitor Data
• Engage Students and Families
• Recognize Good and Improved Attendance
• Provide Personalized Outreach
• Remove Barriers

Tier 1 Strategies for Attendance
A. Monitor Data
 -The Attendance Clerk will monitor the attendance taking procedures daily.
 -The school's Attendance Committee will review an attendance report on a monthly basis to monitor improvement and steer the direction  of attendance initiatives and student recognition incentives.

B. Engage Students and Families
- School staff are encouraged to contact parents by phone each semester to introduce themselves and provide positive feedback about their students. Teachers also call home after three unexcused absences.
- The Attendance Clerk communicates with families regarding reported absences and updates the attendance daily.
- The importance of student attendance is shared with stakeholders in the school newsletter, parent-link and School Advisory Council meetings.

C.  Recognize Good and Improved Attendance
- One of the criteria for Student of the Month is being in attendance at least 80% of the time.  Students who meet this criteria in addition to good behavior and academic performance are recognized on a monthly basis.

D.  Provide Personalized Outreach
- The school's Family Counselor and Social Worker initiate parent contact and perform home visits for students who are excessively absent.

E.  Remove Barriers
- Seagull provides free breakfast for all students every school day.
- The school's Family Counselor, Social Worker and school partners provide social resources and services for our teen parents and any student/families that are in need of services.




 

Tier 2 Strategies and Interventions to Improve Attendance

Tier 2 Strategies and Interventions to Improve Attendance - Address all five core ingredients. Tier 2 identifies students using early warning indicators to make connections with students and families at the onset of the school year or emergence of patterns of non-attendance. Early warning indicators include prior year chronic absenteeism, 3 or more absences in the first 4 weeks of enrollment, more than 10% of school days absent in any time period from the beginning of enrollment.

- Tier 2 represents between 10-20% of students at all schools in Broward County. This is true at individual schools and across the District.

- Chronic Absenteeism: Absent for 10% or more school days. These absences include excused, unexcused, and suspensions as days of instruction missed.

Tiered plans will include strategies and interventions for the 5 core ingredients.

• Monitor Data
• Engage Students and Families
• Recognize Good and Improved Attendance
• Provide Personalized Outreach
• Remove Barriers

Tier 2 Strategies and Interventions to Improve Attendance

A. Monitor Data
 - The school's Attendance Committee will review an attendance report on a monthly basis to monitor and identify students with a pattern of chronic and severely chronic absenteeism.
- Teachers will monitor attendance using Pinnacle.  Teachers will place a phone call home after three consecutive unexcused absences. Teachers will submit a social worker referral if a student has five or more consecutive unexcused absences.
     
B.  Engage Students and Families
 - After three absences teachers place a phone call home to address attendance concerns.
 - A home visit by the school's Social Worker or a parent conference is conducted to address barriers to attendance. 
 - The school's Family Counselor provides students and parents with assistance in reaching out to social services or community resources that may be helpful in addressing any barriers that may affect their attendance/learning.

C.  Recognize Good and Improved Attendance
 - Work with students and families to establish attainable attendance goals that meet their unique needs (work schedule, appointments, etc.).
    
D.  Provide Personalized Outreach
- Recruit students for engaging school activities (field trips, mentoring groups, and sporting activities). 
-  Schedule Parent/School Staff Conference to discuss absences.

E. Remove Barriers
 - The school's Family Counselor will work with community partners to provide students and families with information and resources as needed to address barriers to attendance.
- The school social worker and nurse will work closely with students to follow-up on medical related absences.


 

Tier 3 Interventions

Tier 3 Interventions - Address all five core ingredients. Tier 3 is the highest level of intervention and support for students that are absent 20% or more school days during the year.

- At most schools, Tier 3 interventions are utilized for about 5% (or less) of the student population.

Tiered plans will include strategies and interventions for the 5 core ingredients.

• Monitor Data
• Engage Students and Families
• Recognize Good and Improved Attendance
• Provide Personalized Outreach
• Remove Barriers

Tier 3 Interventions
A. Monitor Data
     - Identify which, and how many, students have a history of missing 20% or more of school and/or at-risk due to other major challenges (involvement in child welfare, juvenile justice, HEART/homelessness etc.). 
     -  Review attendance daily and ensure that Tier 3 students are in school each day. Follow up on each absence for each student identified for Tier 3 intervention.

B.  Engage Students and Families
     -  Refer students and families to appropriate service agencies e.g. social services, human resources, counseling, housing, and health services.
     -  Work to ensure that the students are connected to positive supports and programs (e.g. mentoring, social worker, positive peer interactions, etc.)

C.  Recognize Good and Improved Attendance
      - Work with students and families to establish attainable attendance goals that meet their unique needs (work schedule, appointments, etc).
    
D.  Provide Personalized Outreach
     - School Social Worker and Family Counselor will ensure continued positive and regular contact with the family.
     -  Monitor individualized attendance plan for students at appropriate intervals.
     -  When a student misses school the Attendance Committee will follow up on the absence as needed.

E.  Remove Barriers
     - The school's Family Counselor works closely with both students and their families to develop a family intervention plan and monitors the progress 
     - The school's Family Counselor and Social Worker connect students with chronic physical and mental health issues to medical providers