How would a Dean of Students improve attendence and positively impact student

involvement and achievement?

•Impacts student learning•Impacts academic achievement•Impacts student behaviors negatively•Undermines classroom unity and culture•Undermines school involvement and spirit•Masks potentially hazardous, underlining issues that could have long term negative impact on student’s life•One of the early signs of disengagement that can ultimately lead to dropping out AND later involvement in Juvenile Justice System

•Tracks on a daily, weekly, quarterly and yearly basis student attendance records and applies that information in a systematic, strategic and consistent fashion toward progressive, tiered interventions and discipline

•Enlists school and outside resources on a case by case basis

•Meets regularly with administration to track each student’s status in the tiered process

•Analyzes data to create a periodic “flag list” and shares with key staff in order to ensure follow through

•Follows up and communicates regularly with the classroom teachers regarding student’s status in the tiered process

•Fosters relationships between home and school•Maintains appropriate procedures in preparation for any attendance referrrals

•Coordinates with security to prevent absences at key exits, at key times of day

Addresses special attendance issues such as•Below 18 years of age issues•Above 18 years of age issues• What to do with the adult preying on minors in classroom settings?•How to address the students with immigrant issues relating to attendance?•How to deal with parents who are disconnected from the process?•And so on…

•This has to be a long term, consistent, structured, strategic position and plan, with full support from the administration and a campaign to get full-staff buy in•This position has to work closely with the administrative team on a regular basis to coordinate attendance and discipline interventions•Assistant principals assign detentions; security oversees detentions•We would have to make the budgetary commitment to fully fund the program•Will this really work?

•At Annandale, last year, there were 450-500 daily students with 5 or more absences for the year; this year, at this point, there is 284•At Annandale, after two years of doing this, the daily absences diminished and the DOS focused on absences from blocks•Currently, the primary issue is becoming tardiness rather than absences•At Centreville, at the beginning of the process, referrals rose because awareness was raised, but that follow up over time reduced absenteeism•Over time, the program helped them focus on the students who were continuing to randomly skip classes

As daily attendance improves, focus on absences from certain periods of the day

Teachers have students in class more consistently, to teach, to build relationships, to track and support student learningTeachers are involved in taking daily attendance, making the first initial contact with parents, but are not in charge of the long term tracking and follow up Teachers are informed regularly of student’s status and tiered interventionsUnderlying issues are uncovered and services put in place, which allows for students to participate more fully in school and improve their relationships within the school community