At Indian River, we believe that good attendance is a crucial life skill that contributes to a child's academic success and overall well-being.  The decision to divert to remote learning during the COVID-19 pandemic was a necessary one, but the effects of that are still felt today.  Research shows that children are struggling academically and failing to find a sense of belonging within their schools.  Overcoming these hurdles is a priority among our administrators, teachers and staff, but to do this, we need our students to show up for school.

A student is considered chronically absent when they miss 10% or more of school days, regardless of whether those absences are excused or unexcused.  That's equivalent to about 18 missed days over the course of an academic year.  A study from the U.S. Department of Education revealed that 14.7 million students were considered chronically absent in 2021-2022 school year.

Of course, if your child is sick, we encourage you to keep them home until they feel better (When To Keep Your Child Home), but understanding chronic absenteeism can help set your child up for a better future.