As parents, you want what’s best for your child—happiness, success, and a bright future. One of the most powerful ways to set them up for that success is ensuring they attend school every day.
We know life happens. Illness, family emergencies, and challenges beyond your control can make it hard to get kids to school. But when students miss school—even just a couple of days each month—it adds up quickly. Right now, we’re seeing more and more students struggling with attendance, and we need your help.
When a child is absent, they miss more than just lessons—they miss friendships, connections, and a sense of belonging.
“When students are absent from class, it feels like a piece of the community is missing,” said Westview Hills Teacher Erin Rzepka. “Each individual contributes something unique to the classroom and helps to shape the overall energy and dynamic of the group. Frequent absences can create a noticeable gap, making it harder to maintain the sense of connection and cohesion that promotes a strong classroom environment.”
School is more than academics—it’s where kids build relationships, confidence, and habits that will carry them through life. Research shows that students who feel connected to at least one caring adult at school perform better and have stronger mental well-being. Our staff works hard to make sure every child is known, valued, and supported.
Second-grade teacher Lisa Pantaleon shared her thoughts on this point: "Each student provides a valuable contribution to our classroom family. Students learn best from other students. When students are in class, they are learning academics, but they are also learning about themselves and how they impact others."
“When students have frequent absences, they often might miss special education services, English language services, and social growth opportunities. More importantly, they miss their friends and their friends miss them,” said preschool teacher Elizabeth Jason. “Selfishly, in the early childhood program, we want all of our students with us every day because we objectively get to have the most fun and every child in our classroom community is a part of that!”
If your family is facing challenges that make getting to school difficult—whether it’s transportation, health concerns, or other obstacles—we want to help. Please reach out to your school so we can support you. Your child’s presence matters more than you know.
Let’s work together to make every school day count!
