Identify the staff member utilized as the Attendance Manager. 

Ensure that all teachers are trained to take attendance accurately. 

Encourage all to take attendance in a timely and accurate manner. (Teacher Attendance Codes: P, PN, AU, TU). 

Monitoring attendance-taking procedures will take place weekly by the Attendance Clerk and as requested by administration. 

Twice or more each quarter, school counselors/therapists will monitor BASIS to set goals for students in school-wide recognitions. This monitoring works as a back-up to assist in identifying students that may need more Tier 2 interventions. 

During child study meetings, individual teams will monitor improvement and steer the direction of attendance initiatives. 

Parents and students will agree to specialized rules and goals regarding attendance. 

School staff are encouraged to reach out to parents by phone or email to remind parents about the importance of attendance. 

Promote attendance using Whispering Pines positive behavior support system When teachers make phone calls home, include information about attendance (ex. "thank you for getting her to school on time every day"; "she was absent two days last week and we missed her"; "he is on track for perfect attendance this month.") 

Front office staff will meet each month to discuss customer service responsibilities and adapt procedures for ensuring a welcoming environment when visitors enter the front office (students, parents, guests, District staff). These meetings provide an opportunity to give the administrative team more input about how school policies might be amended to work with parents most effectively. 

During grade-level assemblies, spotlight attendance information for the quarter and reward students for excellent attendance. 

School-based attendance recognition events will occur throughout the school year. These will include quarterly certificates and school-based attendance recognition and may be combined with honor roll assemblies. 

Criteria for attendance recognition at Center Schools is encouraged to be attainable for the student population and will also follow guidelines dictated by the TEAMM System.   

School staff will host a transition meeting for students moving from middle schools into 9th grade. 

Attendance will be included on all student report cards. 

Integrate information about chronic absence into parent programs and communications throughout the school year. 

Provide students with information about the importance of being in class every day (connected to academic readiness and future success). 

This school provides free breakfast for all students, every school day. 

The school social worker and individual student therapists will work alongside outside agencies to monitor absences (especially those that are related to mental health when known). 

Strategies to be implemented in an effort to reduce the percentage of students who have excessive absences will include teachers reviewing daily attendance and reporting to the weekly child study team students in concern. 

Weekly, using BASIS, the leadership and/or therapeutic team will identify students that have enough absences to be considered chronically absent. 

Teachers will monitor attendance using Pinnacle and BASIS and consult with support staff for help in redirecting absenteeism behavior. 

Counselors/Therapists, will monitor attendance with the leadership and/or therapeutic team to help identify students that may have a need for more wrap-around services. 

School Counselors, as part of the leadership team and support, will reach out by phone to speak with parents of chronically absent students to identify if any support is needed for the family. 

If needed, parents and student will work with the School Counselor/School Social Worker/School Counselor to develop/revise personalized “Student Success Plan for Attendance” to make sure the child doesn’t miss too many days and can get back on track with good attendance. There is a correlation between good attendance and good academic performance. 

Staff will help identify any family needs and connect the family with services (food pantry, clothing assistance, literacy programs, transportation). 

We will work with students and families to set attendance goals and time frames that are attainable to help improve attendance for at-risk or chronically absent students. 

Recognize these students routinely for good and improved attendance. Positive reinforcement and trusting relationships with staff improve attendance. 

Set attendance goals with the student and family.   

Engage students and parents through positive communication that supports a good relationship between the school and family. 

Parent-Teacher Conferences with support staff will be scheduled to discuss absences and challenges to identify the barriers we may be able to assist with. 

Social/Emotional Learning (SEL) in our school will include teaching the value of each member of our community, supporting an expression of care when we interact with others. 

Provide information about support from the Student Services Department within Broward Schools (School Social Worker, Family Counseling, HEART). http://www.Browardstudentservices.com   

Utilize school support members to provide for family needs (food, clothing academic programs). 

Involve the school nurse when necessary to follow-up on medically related absences and train staff to recognize signs of illness. 

Connect families with the School Social Worker to provide insight as to the role of a School Social Worker, establish a relationship, and provide clinical support and services. 

Identify students with a history of severe chronic absenteeism (missing more than 20% of a school year). 

Attendance data is one of the main metrics brought to discussion at grade-level child study team meetings.  Attendance data may help uncover bigger issues the student or family are experiencing. 

Refer students to appropriate service agencies (social services, human resources, counseling, housing, the HEART team for homeless education, or health services). 

Share data with appropriate agencies and ensure that agencies are using chronic absence as an indicator for assisting families. 

Utilize best practices from schools within the District that have been able to decrease chronic absences and increase satisfactory attendance. 

Involve parents and agencies prior to initiating severe consequences related to truancy. 

When appropriate, the Broward Truancy Intervention Plan (BTIP) may initiate truancy letters to hold 5-day or 10-day meetings with the parents, principal (or designee), District representative, and State Attorney’s 

Office for the 17th Judicial Circuit Court of Florida. 

For the students at Tier 3, appropriate positive reinforcements will be included in their “Attendance Success Plan” to support continued improved attendance. This plan will be developed with the parents, School Counselor, and School Social Worker. Plans and goals will be shared with the child’s teachers. Tangible incentives may be utilized to help students and parents improve attendance. 

Ensure continued positive and regular contact with the family. 

Check-in on “Attendance Success Plans” and communicate with parents at regular intervals. If the plan is not referenced regularly with positive reinforcement, the plan is not being supported. 

Consult with the School Social Worker as a resource for helping families with attendance problems. 

When the student misses school, ensure the assigned personnel is following up on each absence. 

Implement agreed upon family intervention plan. Monitor for progress. 

Connect students with chronic physical and mental health issues to medical providers. 

For cases of suspected abuse, neglect or endangerment, contact the appropriate agencies to report. 

When necessary, after school-based interventions and partnerships with agencies have failed, revisit student placement with the Behavior Intervention Committee.