• Parent & School Partnership

     

    We want all students to be successful. The first step is being here. 

     

    RCHS wants to partner with families to ensure the success of each student. Regular school attendance is a critical component of student success. Missed instruction, regardless of the reason, has significant academic consequences. Therefore, the broader emphasis is on improving attendance for every student. Chronic absenteeism is defined as missing ten percent or more of the academic year for any reason, including excused absences, unexcused absences, and suspensions. Based on a 180-day school year, that means approximately 18 days per year.

     

    Did You Know? 

    • Students should miss no more than 9 days of school each year to stay engaged, successful and on track to graduation. 
    • Frequent absences can be a sign that a student is losing interest in school, struggling with schoolwork, or facing some other difficulty.
    • By 9th grade, attendance is a better predictor of graduation rates than test scores.
2 Days missed per month equals 20 days per year equals 140 hours of missed instruction

  • What Can You Do?

    • Make school attendance a priority for your student. 
    • Talk about the importance of showing up to school every day. 
    • If your child must stay home because of illness, make sure there is communication with teachers about missing assignments. 
    • Communicate with the school via phone call or email.  
    • Know the school’s attendance policy – incentives and penalties. 
    • Check on your child’s attendance to be sure absences through the parent portal are not adding up.
    • When possible, schedule appointments outside of the regular school day.

     

    How Can RCHS Support You? 

    • Teachers will communicate with families when daily attendance starts to become excessive.
    • School Counselors can help work with students and families to help remove barriers to attendance and develop plans for overcoming them. 
    • The School Nurse can help families assess if a student is well enough to attend class or stay home due to illness as well as to help support chronic health issues.
    • School Administration will help initiate the Student Support Team process to help remove barriers to missing school.
    • The Attendance Clerk will be the first point of contact when a student misses school. Please communicate about missing school with phone calls, emails, or notes to ensure absences are documented. 

     

    Student Support Team (SST)

    A Student Support Team (SST) Meeting will occur once a student has missed 10 days (full year) or 4 days (semester) of school or class periods. This will be a required meeting of an administrator, teacher(s), school counselor, student, and the parent/guardian to determine next steps and provide interventions to student support, school attendance, and academic achievement.  

     

    When To Contact The School? 

    Please contact the school anytime your child is going to miss school. Communication is an essential element in helping ensure school success. Here are a few examples of when to call:

    • An extended absence, lasting more than two days, for any reason.
    • A vacation that extends several school days.
    • Any mental or physical illness that prevents school attendance. 
    • Scheduled period absences, like a medical or dental appointment, that will prevent your child from attending a specific school period or periods. 
    • The observance of a religious holiday or event. 
    • The student or family is experiencing physical needs such as lack of clothing or food.
    • Recent or extended loss of housing or homelessness.
    • Lack of motivation to get to school.
    • Any questions or concerns, please give us a call.  

     

    Contact RCHS at 540-463-5555 with any questions or concerns. 

    We are here to help!