Missing 19 days of school, or ten percent of the school year, is considered “chronic absenteeism” for students, according to a release from the Rainy River District School Board (RRDSB). Moreover, this trend has been more prevalent in northwestern Ontario than the rest of the province. While the Rainy River District School Board understands there are many reasons why a student might miss class, the board said research suggests student attendance is a strong indicator of student well-being and achievement.
“Through the ’19 days’ attendance campaign, the Rainy River District School Board is raising awareness of the importance of students attending class regularly,” reads the release.
“It’s really important for everyone to understand what the definition of chronic absenteeism is, missing 19 days or 10% of the school year, and how it impacts students, not only their learning but also their well-being.”
But, this isn’t only a general trend across the province. The Rainy River District School Board said northwestern Ontario schools and students have higher rates of absenteeism compared to other parts of the province.
“Historically, schools in Northwestern Ontario have higher rates of absenteeism compared to the rest of the province. As many know, during the pandemic, attendance across the province and country plummeted as we switched between in-person and remote learning,” reads the release.
“Although we are seeing improvements in our attendance rate, we have not returned to rates prior to the pandemic.”
The board acknowledges there are many complex reasons a student might miss class but outlines how students aren’t only missing class time but also time with their peers.
“We know that the reasons why students miss school vary and are complex,” reads the release.
“We have a broad geography, we also have weather, transportation challenges, appointments that require families to travel out of town, in addition to illness.
“Students who miss too much class time may miss key learning and struggle to catch up. As absences add up, they may also lose connections with their peers and adults in the school which may lead to school avoidance.”
School avoidance or attendance is also a “strong indicator” of student wellness.
“Research shows attendance is a strong indicator of student well-being, achievement and whether a student will continue to post-secondary studies,” reads the release.
“Research also suggests that parents/ caregivers often underestimate the impact of missing school on student wellbeing and achievement [via] the number of days their child misses. Every school day missed, is a missed opportunity for learning and connecting.”
As much as this is about learning and connecting, the release also suggested this is about habits.
“Habits around attendance start as early as kindergarten and can have lasting impacts on a child’s success at school. Through the attendance campaign, we hope to help parents/caregivers to understand that link,” reads the release.
“It’s really important that those routines get established in the primary grades. We hope it will make a difference in improving our attendance rates.”
The ’19 days’ campaign also extends beyond getting students out the door and behind their desks. The Rainy River District School Board aims to provide “wrap-around” support to students and their families.
“The campaign also promotes support for families from school staff. We recognize that it’s hard and that there are struggles and that there are issues beyond just getting up in the morning and getting out the door,” reads the release.
“We want to work as a team to provide the wrap around supports families need to ensure that every student is getting to school on time and ready to learn. We encourage families to speak with school administration to learn about the unique supports available at your child’s school.”
Beth Fairfield, Superintendent of Education for the Rainy River District School Board, said the goal is ultimately to have students connect with the learning environment and want to be in school.
“As much as it is about building good attendance habits, and that starts at a young age, there is research that suggests student attendance improves when students see a relevance and connection to what they are learning in the classroom,” said Fairfield.
“It’s about engagement. As educators, we strive to ensure lessons are being taught so that students see themselves, their identities, lived experiences and interests, reflected in the curriculum.”
