Holley's attendance policy keeps students in school

Holley's attendance policy keeps students in school

The Holley Central School District introduced an attendance policy about a year ago and already it's having a positive impact on student attendance. "Instruction can happen only if students are here in school," said Susan Cory, director of student services.

At a Board of Education meeting, Cory presented the data that compares attendance rates from the 2005-06 school year to the rates from 2006-07 by grade level. At nearly every grade level there is an increase, and at 9th, 11th and 12th grades, that increase is significant - more than two percentage points. "Students and parents are more concerned about good attendance now that the policy is in place," she said.

The percentages are based on daily attendance. As part of the attendance policy, all attendance information is compiled and provided to the attendance clerk before the conclusion of each class period. The attendance clerk contacts families of students who have missed a full day without notifying the school. If a student is absent, the teacher documents each assignment that has been missed and needs to be completed. Parents also receive written notification for every seven days of class that their child misses. Parents who want to keep track of their child's attendance may also set up a user account on SchoolTool, the district's student management system. Once they have an account, parents can access their child's attendance records. For information, contact the Holley Office of Student Services at 638-6335, ext. 2191.

To read the district's Attendance Policy, visit www.holleycsd.org and click on "Attendance Policy" under "Quick Links" on the home page.