Tips to Improve Your Child's Attendance to School

1. Show your child why education is important.  Give examples of people who have succeeded in your family.

2. Lead by example.  If children see parents taking off work for no reason, they may expect to do the same.

3. Talk to your child about what happened at school each day.

4. Support school rules and consequences.

5. Don't accept excuses from your child as to why they want to be late to school.

6. Make sure your child stays healthy by eating nutritious food and getting enough exercise and sleep.

7. Avoid scheduling family trips or doctor appointments during school house.

8. Talk to your child about the importance of attending school regularly.

    Studies show that children who are in school most of the time do better on state exams.  They also show that kids who are absent more often score lower on state tests.  Being late for school hurts a child's learning, too.  A student who is 10 minutes late every day will miss 30 hours of instruction during the year.  Yes, children can copy notes or make up an assignment; however, they can never get back what's most important such as questions, explanations, discussions by the teacher and the thinking that makes learning come alive.

    Your child's success in school depends on having a solid educational background-one that can only be gained through regular school attendance.