EVERY DAY COUNTS
Every Student Matters: 2026–2027 School Year
Welcome back to a new school year! We are so glad to have every student back in our classrooms, hallways and school communities. There is nothing quite like the energy of a building full of students, and we are grateful for the role each of you plays in making our schools feel connected, supportive and full of belonging.
Celebrating Our Progress
Last year, we asked our community to join us in a renewed focus on daily attendance through Every Day Counts, and you answered that call. Across the district, we saw real, meaningful gains in daily attendance as students and families helped us reach toward the high expectations we set together. Thank you!
These improvements reflect countless mornings of getting out the door on time, families making attendance a priority, and staff building relationships that make school a place students want to be. That progress matters, and we are proud to build on it this year.
Every Day Counts: Our Continued Focus
Every Day Counts remains our shared theme and our shared work. Research consistently shows that consistent attendance is directly connected to stronger academic outcomes, healthier social and emotional development, and a deeper sense of belonging at school. Simply put, showing up matters — for learning, for relationships, and for the kind of school community we are building together.
We recognize this letter includes a lot of information, and we ask that you read it in full. It covers:
- Our 95% attendance expectation and the research behind it
- New school-wide celebrations and incentives for consistent attendance
- The attendance systems we are continuing this year
- New and updated components we are adding to support students
Attendance Expectation: 95%
Students are expected to maintain at least 95% attendance throughout the school year, meaning no more than one absence per month, excused or unexcused. Our goal is not simply attendance for its own sake, but the connection, growth and opportunity that come from students being present every day.
School-Wide Celebrations and Incentives
This year, we are excited to add regular, school-wide celebrations and incentives that recognize students for showing up and demonstrating consistent attendance. District wide, our schools will be putting emphasis on celebrating and incentivizing on time arrival to 1st and 2nd periods. Last year’s morning arrival trends indicated a need to address tardies to school. Our ultimate goal is for our students to feel welcome, seen and celebrated for the everyday choice to be present. Each school will share more details about these celebrations as the year begins.
Systems We Are Continuing
The following attendance systems, introduced last year, remain in place and continue to guide our work:
Extracurricular Attendance Expectation (Begins the start of the year)
Students must be in school and on time to participate in extracurricular activities, including all athletics, extracurriculars and fine arts that practice, perform and/or compete. A student who is absent or excessively tardy (10 minutes or more) for more than two scheduled blocks is not eligible to actively practice, perform or compete that day.
Social Privileges (Begins the start of the year)
Being present and on time remains a factor in eligibility for events such as Homecoming, Prom, senior events (i.e. six flags), athletic events and parking (Maine South only). Continuing this year, students must maintain a 90% on time and present rate to access these privileges. This percentage is impacted by unexcused absences, vacation and parent-authorized unexcused absences, as well as tardies and tardy excessive (more than 10 minutes late).
Parent/Guardian Same Day Absence Reporting
Parents and guardians must notify the school of a student’s absence during school hours on the day of the absence. If the school is not notified that day, the absence will be recorded as unexcused.Our attendance systems are finalized at the end of each school day based on that day’s attendance records. Timely notification helps ensure accurate records and allows staff to support students when needed.
Automated Detentions (Begins September 8)
Detentions will continue to be assigned automatically for unexcused absences or excessive tardies (10 minutes or more late to class), occurring every fifth instance, providing consistent time for academic recovery and reinforcing the importance of showing up.
New and Updated This Year
Building on what we learned last year, we are adding and updating several components of our attendance systems:
Automated Detention Response for Tardies (Begins September 8) NEW!
We are adding a new automated detention response focused specifically on tardiness to school, with attention to on-time arrival to class for 1st and 2nd period. Every fifth unexcused tardy to 1st and/or 2nd period will result in an automated detention. This is designed to reinforce strong morning routines from the very start of the school day.
Off-Campus Lunch Privileges for Seniors (Begins the start of the year) UPDATED!
Seniors will have the opportunity to earn off-campus lunch privileges by maintaining 95% attendance (including all excused or unexcused absences) and no failing grades. This privilege reflects the high expectations we hold for our seniors as they prepare for life beyond high school.
Clearer Make-Up Work Guidelines UPDATED!
We are refining our make-up work guidelines to make expectations even clearer for students and families. Students returning from an absence are expected to initiate communication with their teacher, complete missed assessments, and turn in work that was due while they were out upon their return to class Work assigned on the day of the absence/missed class will have at least one class meeting extension, but will not be accepted after the unit summative..
Attendance Support Plans NEW!
For students navigating inconsistent attendance patterns, we are introducing Attendance Support Plans, a collaborative, individualized approach that brings together students, families and school staff to identify barriers and build a path toward consistent attendance.
Attendance Communication UPDATED!
We are adding new opportunities for parents and students to monitor attendance regularly. Beginning August 21st, and each Friday thereafter, an attendance letter will be sent highlighting students’ overall attendance percentage (excused and unexcused), social privilege percentage, and counts of absences and tardies plus for each class period. Additionally, families will receive automated messages at 10am if an absence has been unreported for the 1st period, as well as a message at 6:00 pm for any unexcused absences that day. More regular communication is designed to keep communication open, proactive and supportive.
A Shared Responsibility
As we look ahead to this school year, we are hopeful – hopeful for the positive habits students will build, the connections they will strengthen, and the growth that will carry them well beyond our classrooms. Every day is a new opportunity to show up for one another and our school community.
Thank you for partnering with us as we welcome students back and continue building a school community where every student feels they belong and every day truly counts.
Every Day Counts!