RALSTON, Neb. (KMTV) – Ralston schools implement new methods to keep students engaged in school to increase attendance during nationwide absenteeism issue
- Ralston schools is just one of many districts dealing with high absenteeism
- The district implemented things like attendance boards and prizes to keep students engaged in school
- The district has increased attendance through all schools, some reaching over 95% attendance rates
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
Ralston Schools is just one of many districts in the area that have had issues with chronic absenteeism and low attendance rates.
This issue is something our team at KMTV has been covering and we are continuing to follow this issue as districts, like Ralston, find creative ways to keep students in classrooms.
Andrew Mather, principal of Karen Western Elementary saw an issues with attendance rates at his school. After asking around, he learned he's not alone, so he started conversations about solutions. The principals came up with plans to get students back in classrooms.
"Honestly we have just put a lot of work into student relationships and student incentives,” Mathers said. “Just encouraging them to be here each day."
The school started implementing things to keep school fun for kids, like attendance boards outside classrooms and random raffles for classrooms that meet those attendance goals.
Soon, Mather saw more students consistently come to school engaged and then test scores increased.
"We specifically follow some of those students who have struggled with attendance and just to see their scores increase has been great plus the community and comradery around the school of having everyone here and working together to achieve a goal," he said.
Along with working with kids, Mather said Karen Western is working with parents, finding solutions on how to get their kids to schools on time or at all.
“The number one thing is we've tried to work with families to build partnerships at the beginning of the year,” he said “We really work hard to connect with students who missed a lot of school the year before. Our guidance counselor has done a fantastic job of when a student missed two days of school, she reaches out to them right away so we can kind of hit that early and talks to them, are there any barriers anything we can help with."
Since these changes, Karen Western is up to 96% attendance rate and has dropped chronic absentee students from 63 to 23 in two years.
Mather said he's confident his school can continue to see these positive changes.
"They get really excited when they meet or goal and we try to make a big deal about that, so I think the key is keeping that up all year," he said.
