Strategic Campaign

Attendance Matters

Let’s Get Present Together: A district-wide initiative to boost student attendance and engagement

Research

Chronic absenteeism continues to be a critical barrier to student success, particularly in the spring semester. Drawing on national data from Attendance Works and the U.S. Department of Education, we identified that students missing 10% or more of the school year are significantly more likely to fall behind. Local attendance trends, feedback from families, and input from administrators highlighted a need for a proactive, district-wide initiative to combat the seasonal attendance dip and support vulnerable student populations.

Planning

The campaign launched under the theme “Attendance Matters: Let’s Get Present Together” and was designed to:

Reinforce the importance of daily attendance
Equip families with tools and resources
Support school-based initiatives to promote engagement
Address factors contributing to absenteeism
Planning efforts included the creation of a dedicated Attendance Matters webpage, development of social and print materials, and coordination with school leaders, family support services, and parent organizations. Key initiatives included pre- and post-spring break outreach, spirit week activities, and individualized Student Attendance Success Plans.

Implementation

The campaign rolled out in a multi-phase structure to maintain momentum throughout the spring:

Launch Week (March 10–14): District-wide push across social media, school websites, flyers, posters and newsletters
Ongoing Engagement: Weekly social posts, in-school activities, and letters tied to key attendance dates (report cards, etc.)
Key tools included:
Custom graphics and Present Pete mascot for elementary engagement
Spring-themed attendance activities calendar
QR code resources for families
Student Attendance Success Plans for secondary students
Staff toolkits for announcements and reinforcement

Evaluation

Effectiveness will be measured through:

Comparative attendance data pre- and post-campaign
Social media engagement and reach analytics
Family and staff feedback via informal surveys or direct reports
Implementation rate of Success Plans and spirit activities
The campaign’s impact will guide the development of a more expansive Fall 2025 campaign, “School is Better with You in It!”, which will adopt the Attendance Works 3-Tiered Intervention model to provide differentiated support.