Make Each Class Count: Recognizing National Attendance Awareness Month in August

Attending class on-time, everyday will help students on the path to academic success. As schools nationwide prepare to celebrate National Attendance Awareness Month in September to raise attendance rates, Natomas Unified is reminding families now to make each day of school count in August. 

 

Attending class every day, on time, is integral to a student’s academic success. So, how are educators working to encourage students to come to class every day, on time?

 

Form Good Habits Early

 

Natomas Unified is committed to providing an engaging and safe learning community where all students will thrive. In our latest episode of Conversations with NUSD Podcast, Shayla Allen, our district’s Social Worker Liaison, who works with families experiencing homelessness and foster youth, explains how instilling good habits starts young. Allen says beginning at the Transitional Kindergarten and Kindergarten levels help build healthy routines in a student’s life, “This is where our students learn to interact socially with peers, how to get along with peers, and how to be in a structured space,” Allen said. Attending classes on-time, everyday at the lower level also helps students understand rules, structure, and to adapt to a classroom environment. 

 

NUSD: A Proactive Partner in Student Success

 

Allen also reminds our families of our Vision, which is to provide an engaging and safe learning environment for our students, staff, and families. “We strive to make sure our students and families feel secure in going to school,” Allen said. NUSD’s Board of Trustees is committed to providing students with social-emotional support, having approved a budget that includes employing social workers at each of our sites. 

 

Our school’s staff is dedicated to providing environments that help students thrive - such as the Calming Center at Witter Ranch, Lunch Bunch at Jefferson School, and small group activities so students have an easier time adapting to social situations. Programs vary by site, please check with your school’s staff for availability.

 

Helping Families Overcome Barriers

 

NUSD is also committed to helping students experiencing homelessness, get to school safely by providing Walking School Buses (please check with your school’s staff for availability, and even staying dry in wet weather. “Thanks to donations, if our low-income and foster students need bikes, scooters, or skateboards; those are all means to get to school, we also support them in that area, too,” Allen explained. 

 

NUSD also provides families in need with shelf-stable food, and fresh fruit and vegetables, thanks to donations, through Joey’s Food Locker at Natomas High School. The facility serves families from 4 to 5:30 pm every Friday. If you would like to donate money or food, or would like to volunteer, please click here for more information. If you are a family in need of food assistance, please fill out this form.

 

For a list of resources offered to low-income and foster youth, please click here.