Start the new year with good attendance
Office of Student Support Services recognizes campuses each month for attendance performance
As we kickstart the second semester at HISD, the new year is always a great time to hit refresh on your campus goals and resolutions. In an effort to help campuses across the district finish the school year strong, the Office of Student Support Services will recognize campuses and its leadership each month, for their excellence in attendance performance and best practices.
According to Attendance Works, a national nonprofit organization designed to promote attendance, research shows that stimulating positive relationships amongst students motivates them to attend every day. Whether it’s welcoming students at the door of your classroom or informing the student on what they missed while they were absent, it is these types of reinforcements that can help improve attendance.
January Principal Spotlight
This month, the department recognizes Principal Ruth Ruiz of Stevenson Middle School. Her latest attendance strategies involving everyone from counselors to parents have proven to be successful and reenergized students to reach for perfect attendance. Here are just a few of Ruiz’s best practices:
- The campus has a designated box at the counselors’ office where students can recognize themselves or other classmates practicing good attendance
- Led by a parent group, the campus held fundraisers to support the purchasing of gift cards for recognized students
- Every six weeks, multiple students have the opportunity to be recognized school-wide during the morning announcements and at their grade-level lunch. The students also receive a $5 gift card
- To reinforce the importance of attendance, the campus website provides a link to the district’s attendance page
Do you want to incorporate your own best practices and have an opportunity to improve your attendance performance? Check out the Weekly Teacher Download each week for best practices and talk with your attendance team to identify your strengths and areas of improvement.
