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.

Upon reviewing 2017/2018 attendance data and comparing it to 2016/2017 data, it was determined that there has been an increase in at risk and severe chronic absenteeism.   This increase caused us to reevaluate our current plan andmodify it in order to address different ways to increase attendance.

Goal 1:  As of June 2018,  414 students (31.80%) were considered at risk, 41 students (3.15%) were considered to have severe chronic absenteeism.  By June 2019, our goal is to reduce overall at risk absenteeism and severe chronic absenteeism by 2%.

Goal 2: As of June 2018, the grade level with the most chronic/severe chronic absences was 1st grade with 48 total students (38 chronic absences, 10 severe chronic absences). This is 24.0 % of 1st grade in the 2nd semester.   In 1st grade, our goal is to reduce the number of students with chronic/severe chronic absenteeism by 5%.

Goal 3: As of June 2018 (second semester), 3rd grade had the highest level of students with satisfactory attendance with 45.16% of students attending 95% or more school days.  The goal for satisfactory attendance is to increase the percentage of students attending 95% or more in every grade by the end of 2018/2019.

 

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

A.  Monitor Data
     *All teachers will view the Brainshark training for taking attendance.  A record will be kept to document that the training was completed.
     *Barbara Helton will manage dauily attendance.  
     *Barbara Helton will notify administration of any concerns with attendance-taking procedures.
     *At the beginning of each month, the administrative team will request that the IMT provide a report for the current attendance categories to monitor improvement and steer the direction of 
      attendance initiatives.
B.  Engage Students and Families
     *The Attendance Phone Line will be checked and cleared daily by the Attendance Clerk.
     *Attendance information will be published in the Quiet Waters Elementary monthly newsletter - The Manatee Messennger.
     *Student will be reminded about school attendance and tardy policies regularly during our school-wide morning announcements.
     *All staff assist in creating a warm, welcoming climate that encourages students to come to school every day.
C.  Recognize Good and Improved Attendance
     *School-based attendance recognition events will occur throughout the school year.
D.  Provide Personalized Outreach
     *Quiet Waters Elementary will host a Kindergarten Round-Up in the spring of 2019.  This is a transitional meeting for students who will be starting Kindergarten in the 2019/2020 school year.       
      Families will meet with a Kindergarten teacher, will have a tour of a Kindergarten classroom, and will learn about the importance of regular attendance for their child's success throughout their
      school career.
     *The importance of attendance will be emphasized at parent-teacher conferences and attendance concerns or accomplishments will be documented on conference forms.
     *Attendance will be included on all students report cards.
     *Information about the impact of chronic absences will be integrated into parent programs and communications throughout the school year.
E.  Remove Barriers
     *Provide free breakfast for all students every school day and encourages them to arrive early to take advantage of this program.
    *A bike rack is provided in a fenced area for students that arrive by bicycle.  The fenced area is locked after school starts for the day and is unlocked at dismissal.
     *Staff is in place at drop-off areas to ensure that drop off is as smooth as possible to encourage that students are arriving to class on time.
   
  


 

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

A.  Monitor Data
     *  Teachers will monitor absences through Pinnicle and will consult with support staff and/or Administration for help in redirecting absenteeism behavior.
     *  School Counselor and support staff will monitor attendance patterns and provide interventions for students who are at risk and may require additional services.
     *  Weekly monitoring of B.T.I.P. intervention information and Pattern of Non-Attendance Information by School Counselor (Susan Donahue) and School Social Worker (April Campbell).

B. Engage Students and Families
     *  Teachers will contact parents personally when a student has 1-3 unexcused absences, 1-4 excused absences, 1-3 tardies or 1-3 early sign-outs in a marking period.Teachers will communicate
         concerns about the student being absent and gather information regarding the reason for the absences.
     *  Teachers will contact the School Counselor, School SSW or a School Administrator if they are unable to engage the parent via phone or by written conference request.
     *  B.T.I.P. Liaison is Susan Donahue (School Counselor).
     *  B.T.I.P. meetings for 5 unexcused absences with parent and school B.T.I.P designee (S. Donahue) or School Social Worker (A. Campbell).
     *  Attendance Agreement will be signed at B.T.I.P. meetings.
     *  Letter regarding excessive tardies is sent home in report card.

C.  Recognize Good and Improved Attendance
     *  Students will be recognized for their successful effort in improving their attendance.

D.  Provide Personalized Outreach
     *  Parent-teacher conferences may include support staff to discuss attendance and to develop a plan to improve attendance.
     *  B.T.I.P meeting with parents and school designee will be held to provide attendance information, discuss and address barriers to attendance, develop a plan to improve attendance and to sign
        Attendance Agreement.

E.  Remove Barriers
     *  School staff including teachers, office staff, administration and school social worker will work together to identify barriers to attendance and offer available resources/referrals to help remove
        those barriers.  Barriers may include health concerns, homelessness, lack of school supplies, transportation etc.
     *  The school social worker will follow up with parents on any major conditions that impact school attendance.



 

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

A. Monitor Data
     *  Identify students with a history of severe chronic absenteeism (missing 20% or more of the school year).
     *Attendance data is reviewed by the RTI team in order to determine if attendance is making an impact on a student's academic performance.

B. Engage Students and families
     *  Refer students to appropriate service agencies and share attendance data in order to ensure appropriate assistance.
     *  Follow up with BTIP

C.  Recognize Good and Improved Attendance
     * Develop appropriate and positive reinforcements individualized for Tier 3 student attendance progress.

D.  Provide Personalized Outreach
     *  Ensure continued positive and consistent contact with families.
     *  Utilize school social worker as a resource for support.
     *  Make contact with the family when the student misses school.

E.  Remove Barriers
     *  Connect students with appropriate services and supports.