June 21, 2023 For Immediate Release
Congratulations to Matthew A. Henson Elementary School, Booker T. Washington Middle School, New Era Academy, and Achievement Academy at Harbor City High School for winning the City Schools 60-Day Attendance Challenge!
The 60-Day Attendance Challenge was a district-wide initiative set out to reduce chronic absences among all students. Attendance liaisons and school staff work throughout the year to support families by providing assistance and resources to combat barriers that families may be facing, that hinder students from attending school. The 60-Day Attendance Challenge was a special effort to reach the students that are on the verge of “chronic absenteeism”, which amounts to missing 18 days of the school year. Schools did everything from sending letters, to phone calls, to home visits to reach out to families about the importance of attendance.
City Schools recognizes that daily attendance is crucial for students’ academic success. Students with strong attendance are also inclined to have positive long-term outcomes in areas such as employment, college graduation, mental and physical health.
The four winning schools received a special ice cream social from Kona Ice and Ice Queen. We hope the schools enjoyed their ice cream socials!