Office of Enrollment and Attendance

Attendance Procedures and Reminders

Here Today, Ready for Tomorrow: A Plan for Boosting Attendance

As we continue to celebrate September Attendance Awareness Month, we know increasing regular student attendance is a team effort. We all play a part in creating a welcoming environment. While we consistently face attendance challenges, we've noticed a significant drop on Mondays and Fridays. A strong start and finish to the week are crucial for keeping students engaged and on track. We encourage you to get creative and implement positive incentives to motivate your students.

Engage and Energize Students

• Start and End Strong: Make Mondays and Fridays especially engaging. Kick off Monday with a fun, collaborative activity or a short class meeting to set a positive tone. On Fridays, wrap up the week with a review game, a fun project, or a "show and tell" of student work.
• Students are more likely to attend when they feel a strong connection to the adults and their peers. Greet students at the door, check in with those who have been absent, and foster a classroom environment where every student feels seen and valued.
• Highlight the "Why": Remind students of how important attendance is for their academic success and social development. When they understand how each day builds on the last, they may feel more motivated to attend.

Offer Incentives

Sometimes, a little extra motivation goes a long way. Consider these ideas to reward students for consistent attendance:

• Offer incentives that directly benefit students' grades, such as extra credit or bonus points on their lowest test or assignment grade.
• A single homework pass is a low-cost, high-reward incentive that students love.
• Reward classes or individual students with a jeans day or the opportunity to listen to music while they work.
• Offer free snacks, a pizza party, or a small prize from a prize box for classes with the best attendance.

Communicate and Collaborate 

• A quick call or email home on Monday to a student who was absent on Friday shows you care and helps parents stay on top of attendance issues.
• Coordinate with other teachers in your grade level or department to offer cross-curricular incentives. For example, a student with perfect attendance in all classes for a week could earn a special reward.
• We can all learn from each other. If you find a strategy that works well for you, please share it with the rest of the staff!

Let's work together to create a culture where being at school every day is the norm.

First 20 Days Recognitions: Show Up for Greatness

• We are excited to celebrate students who have shown exceptional attendance improvement during the first 20 days of school. Our Enrollment and Attendance team has been analyzing data from last year and is thrilled to recognize the hard work of students in various schools and regions.
• Our team will be visiting these schools to personally congratulate these students and encourage them to continue their path toward academic greatness.
• Please be on the lookout for more information regarding these recognition visits. We look forward to celebrating with you!

Greatness at Your Door 2.0

• We're launching the second phase of Greatness at Your Door 2.0, our initiative to improve student attendance. This campaign involves door-to-door visits to families of students who have not been attending school.
• The first outreach event is scheduled for Tuesday, September 30, at 9 a.m., targeting the Southwest region. The second event will take place on Thursday, October 9, focusing on the Northwest region.
• Attendance is mandatory for all Truancy and Attendance Liaisons on both dates. Please arrive at the Board of Education (BOE) at 8:30 a.m. for a briefing before we begin. Your full participation is vital to this initiative's success.

Show Up for Greatness: Attendance Monitoring and Recognition

• Our second 20-day school attendance period ends September 29, 2025. Please ensure that all necessary student supports are documented within the Show Up for Greatness Application App. All administrative staff should have access to the platform link, as this remains a mandatory requirement.
• For any questions, please email us at studentservices@scsk12.org.
• By consistently entering attendance data for the Gold, Silver, and Bronze tiers every 20 days, we can proactively monitor attendance trends and identify where additional support may be needed.
• Gold : 96% or higher
• Silver : 91% to 95%
• Bronze : 90% or less
• Attendance progress will also be reflected in student reports and report cards, ensuring transparent communication with parents and guardians.

Approval Required for IEP/504 Transfer Rescissions

• For all students with an Individualized Education Program (IEP) or a 504 Plan whose transfer is recommended for rescission, the withdrawal process requires prior approval from the Office of General Counsel. This measure ensures compliance with all relevant special education laws and regulations before the student can be officially withdrawn.

Attendance Reconciliation Model for Improving Student Attendance

• This initiative establishes a consistent framework for monitoring and supporting student attendance, aligning with MSCS district policies to improve overall attendance rates.

Key Responsibilities

Teachers

• Daily Attendance Recording: Teachers are required to accurately record student attendance in PowerSchool SIS within the first ten minutes of each class or school day.

Attendance Clerks/Clerical Assistants/GOS

• Daily Verification: Verify teacher attendance submissions and print, review, and file the daily Absentee Report.
• Check-Ins/Outs Management: Monitor and record all student check-ins and check-outs in PowerSchool SIS.
• Parent Note Processing: Collect, enter into PowerSchool SIS, and file all handwritten parent notes.
• Record attendance for absent teachers and placeholders.

Attendance Liaisons

• Process all electronic parent notes submitted via the Student Absence Form.
• Confirm that all attendance codes (e.g., AC, PC) are updated and used correctly.
• Assist schools with the organization and filing of hard-copy documents, including parent notes, absentee reports, and check-in/out sheets.
• Within PowerSchool SIS, verify the correct use of withdrawal codes and comments, monitor "Teachers Missing Attendance" reports, and ensure the proper use of attendance codes.
• Monitor chronic absenteeism and truancy, collaborating with Family Engagement Specialists, Counselors, Administrators, Student Experiences and others to identify and address family-related barriers to attendance.
• Assist with the implementation of the Parent Student Support Plan (PSSP).
• Engage parents in the "Show Up for Greatness" attendance initiative.
• Participate in CompStat report-outs to provide regular updates on attendance data and efforts.

Student Absence Form Available via PowerSchool Parent Portal

• Please be advised that the Student Absence Form is available for all parents through the PowerSchool Parent Portal. This online form allows parents to easily notify the school of their child’s absence directly from their mobile devices or computers. Parents can also track the status of their absence submission by returning to the portal.

Keep your Contact Information Updated

• To ensure the safety of all students, staff will verify parent or guardian contact information at every check-in and check-out for all students. This is a critical step in keeping our emergency contacts accurate and up to date.

District Attendance Initiative: Show Up for Greatness!

• Our new attendance initiative is designed to support a regional service delivery model and strengthen tiered interventions:

Tiered Intervention Model:

• Tier 1: Show Up for Greatness
• Tier 2: Everyday Counts– NEW partnership with the Assisi Foundation and Attendance Works
• Tier 3: Be Present. Be Great.

• We are also improving alignment between Attendance & Truancy Liaisons and RTI-B Specialists to maximize effectiveness in reducing chronic absenteeism and truancy.

Truancy Outreach: Parent Student Support Plan

As we intensify our focus on reducing truancy, schools must prioritize identifying students who are chronically absent, defined as five or more unexcused absences.  Early outreach and intervention are essential to re-engage students before absenteeism escalates.  A Parent Student Support Plan (PSSP) is required for every student who accumulates five absences whether excused or unexcused.  The PSSP serves as a proactive tool to address barriers, strengthen family engagement, and support consistent attendance. 

• As we address truancy, our focus will be on students who have not re-enrolled and are marked as no-shows.  These students must be identified early for outreach.
• Monitor your withdrawal list from PowerSchool

Enrollment Procedures and Reminders

• First impressions matter. Please ensure staff are welcoming, knowledgeable, and equipped to assist with enrollment needs. Most issues can be resolved at the school level. Families should not be turned away.
• District-level support is available. The Enrollment & Attendance Office will assist with complex cases involving school assignments, truancy clearance, Eligible Circumstance transfers and other matters.

Kindergarten Age Requirement:

• Children must be 5 years old on or before August 15 of the current school year to be eligible for kindergarten enrollment.
• Effective September 13, 2025, 5-year-old kindergartners who have not been previously enrolled can no longer be enrolled for the current school year. (Exceptions will be made for students who are experiencing homelessness or displacement.)
• Previously enrolled kindergartners may be accepted at any time.

September Events

• September 24: 1st 20-days student recognitions
• September 30: Greatness at Your Door 2.0 (Southwest Region)

October Events

• October 7: Attendance Liaison Monthly Meeting (All Regions) | 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.
• October 9: Greatness at Your Door 2.0 (Northwest Region)
• October 9: Attendance Practices and Processes Training | 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. Location: TTC
• October 23: Be Present. Be Great – Parent Meeting (Memphis Sports & Events Center)