Regular attendance is an essential component to academic success. While the requirements for attendance are clear for the traditional in-school setting, it is more challenging when students are in a distance learning environment or participating in a hybrid instructional model. The New York State Education Department (NYSED) mandates that daily student attendance be recorded.
When students are in school, teachers will record daily attendance in Infinite Campus. Attendance reports will be generated to identify students who are absent and/or chronically absent. Contact with families will be made to determine reasons for absence and/or needs and barriers students may face with regard to participating in on-site learning. Attendance policies and procedures will be communicated with families and students prior to the start of the school year, or if the instructional model changes during the year. Communication from the building level includes parent letters/newsletter, automated phone calls, emails, text messaging/notification, and social media.
Attendance and accountability for learning remain important in the event of school closure due to the recurrence of COVID-19. COVID-19 Attendance during Distance Learning is defined by student engagement and participation. Attendance will therefore be determined through: work completed during asynchronous instruction, and online contact that includes synchronous (live) instruction through Google Meets, Seesaw, and Google Classroom. If students are not completing work or participating in synchronous/asynchronous instruction, teachers will contact parents to develop plans for increased student engagement while on Distance Learning.
RESPONSIBILITIES: Attendance responsibilities are shared by students, parents, and the school staff during Hybrid Learning.
-
Attendance on asynchronous learning days will be tracked using a daily attendance question/assignment.
-
Pre K - Grade 2: Using Seesaw, teachers will provide a recurring, one-question assignment for students to complete at the start of each asynchronous learning day. Teachers will transfer attendance to Infinite Campus.
-
Grade 3 - Grade 12: A mechanism is currently being designed for students to answer a one-question attendance task for each class section on their daily schedule on asynchronous learning days. Grades 3 through 5 teachers will transfer daily attendance to iCampus. For secondary students, attendance reports will be delivered to/accessed by an Attendance Secretary who will enter the data into Infinite Campus.
-