Goal 1: The HCSS Attendance Department will decrease chronic absenteeism from 13.6% to 12% in 2025-2026.

Action Steps:

1.      The HCSS Attendance Department will communicate in social media, flyers, and newsletters the importance of attendance and the effects of chronic absenteeism on student academic success by informing stakeholders during the summer, beginning of school, in September during Attendance Awareness month, and throughout the school year.

a.      The Attendance Department will attend Back to School events and share “Attendance Matters” information throughout the summer and school year.

b.     The Attendance Department will supply information during Attendance Awareness month in September through HCSS Facebook, Twitter, and in the HC Newsletter.

2.      The HCSS Attendance Department will notify families when a student has missed 5 days and allow families adequate time to submit excuses to prevent the implementation of a progressive truancy intervention plan as described in Board Policy 6.200.

a.      The HCSS Attendance Department will work with schools to contact parents/guardians about absences and will work with families to get their excuses turned into the school office.

b.     The HCSS Attendance Department will follow Board Policy 6.2000. (See below)

3.      The HCSS Attendance Department will identify and support at-risk students by tracking those have missed 5 days or more and offering targeted support and resources during the summer and school months.

a.      The Attendance Department will identify students who missed 5 or more days from 2024-25 and contact families during the summer months to offer support for 2025-26.

b.     The HCSS Attendance Department will partner with families, schools, the Family Resource Center, and the Henry County Juvenile Court to provide support to families and students, helping families remove attendance barriers.

4.      The HCSS Attendance Department will partner with schools to create a positive school culture that values attendance and encourages students to come to school every day by recognizing and celebrating good attendance.

a.      The HCSS Attendance Department will partner with schools in their goals to increase attendance.

b.     The HCSS Attendance Department will use Capturing Kid’s Hearts strategies.

Attendance / Truancy