Dear Princess Margaret Families,
I am writing to you with a deep commitment to ensuring every child at Princess Margaret has the strongest possible start to their academic year and future. I truly believe that when we work together, your child thrives. I am sending this email to all of our school community. A copy of this letter will be in your child’s report card envelope coming home on November 13th if I am concerned about your child’s number of absences.
If you prefer to watch a video that sums up this letter, please click here: Attendance Strategies or https://drive.google.com/file/d/1yg7p3qQV4vu4sco0Q7WHbWzeWlSMw4Cb/view?usp=sharing
The period from September 2, 2024, to before November 1, 2025, represented approximately 43 enrolled school days for most of our students. Based on our review of attendance for this critical early period, I want to emphasize the importance of consistent attendance and punctuality, as they are the true foundation of education.
As we view your child’s learning journey like building a strong structure, attendance and punctuality are the cement that holds the bricks together. When that cement is missing, the structure (their academic potential) becomes unstable.
Why Every Day (and Every Minute) Counts
It is easy to think that missing "a day here and a day there" is not a big deal, but these seemingly small moments add up quickly, leading to a substantial amount of opportunity lost.
The Cumulative Impact of Absences:
• Long-Term Learning Loss: Missing just one day every two weeks (about 20 days per year) means a loss equivalent to nearly 1.5 years of school over 13 school years. If a student misses two days of school each month from Grade 1 through Grade 9, they will have missed an entire year of school by Grade 10.
• Academic Risk: Research shows that a higher rate of absenteeism starting in kindergarten is linked to lower achievement in Grade 3 in areas such as math, reading, and general knowledge. Early absenteeism also makes our efforts to improve literacy much more difficult.
• Future Opportunities: Students with high absenteeism in Grade 9 are significantly more likely to drop out of school. Generally, low academic performance linked to missing school often leads to a more difficult life with less access to better paying and more rewarding jobs.
For context, the Provincial School Attendance Counsellor defines 'persistent absenteeism' as any student who has missed 10% or more of school days for any reason. Since Ontario elementary schools have 194 days of instruction, missing 19 days puts a child in this high-risk category.
The Hidden Impact of Lateness:
Chronic morning lateness disrupts valuable instructional time, affecting not only the late student but their entire class. Even small delays compound over time:
• Missing 10 minutes per day adds up to nearly half a year of school missed over 13 years.
• Missing 30 minutes per day results in four weeks of school lost per year, totaling almost 1.5 years missed over 13 school years.
Partnering for Your Child’s Success
We recognize that consistency can be challenging, but the benefits are immense. Low attendance can negatively impact a child’s ability to develop grit and perseverance—skills vital for overcoming challenges—and may lead to a reduced sense of belonging at school.
Our goal is to offer support before small challenges become big ones, because pinpointing the needs of students early and providing support makes a difference in helping students achieve high standards.
How We Can Work Together:
1. Prioritize Routine: Establishing a healthy, regular routine ensures your child arrives on time every day.
Strategies for the Home: Routines, Attitude, and Communication
Establishing a consistent home environment is key to minimizing morning stress and ensuring students feel ready for the day.
Attitude and Beliefs
• Intervene Early: Please know that attendance issues can quickly escalate. We urge parents/guardians to intervene and reach out for support as early as possible before missed days become the norm. Connecting earlier is always better than waiting until a lot of school has been missed.
• Maintain Clear Expectations: Keep the expectation in your home that your child must attend school and stay all day. Don't give up.
• Discuss Value: Talk with your child about how going to school every day helps them achieve their goals and dreams.
• Address Anxiety: Even if your child is anxious about school, ensure the expectation of regular attendance doesn’t change; work with the issue, not around it. Encourage your child to talk back to their anxiety, affirming that they can do it.
• Listen Openly: Talk to your child to discover what is causing their reluctance to attend, validating their concerns and avoiding assumptions.
• Set Goals: Create positive reinforcement by setting attendance goals and celebrating milestones (like a week or a month of perfect attendance) with simple, meaningful rewards.
Consistent Routines and Environment
• Establish Reliability: Practice consistent bedtimes and morning routines to make school mornings predictable and less stressful. Parents can also model this consistent routine at home.
• Prepare the Night Before: Organizing clothing, packing backpacks (perhaps including favorite foods), and discussing breakfast the night before can help ensure the morning is less hectic and helps get your child out the door.
• Prioritize Sleep: Establish an environment that supports improved sleep hygiene (consistent bed and wake times, dark room, quiet). This is key to a good morning.
• Limit Electronics: Ensure at least 30 minutes of screen-free time before bed, and remove all electronics from bedrooms before bedtime. Limiting screen time before bed is key to winding down and getting a great night’s sleep.
• Address Refusal: If your child does refuse to attend school, try having no screens or devices during the time they should be at school. Making staying home "as boring as possible" can be helpful, perhaps even by shutting down the home internet.
2. Plan Ahead: Please plan ahead to minimize absences whenever possible. Try your best to schedule appointments outside of the school day when possible and vacations during school break times.
3. Reach Out Early: If your child is struggling to get to school regularly, or if you have concerns, please contact your child's teacher or me. Teachers are ready to provide extra help to students, and the earlier your child receives assistance, the easier it is for them to get caught up.
Strategies Involving the School: Communication and Support
We are here to help, and there are many supports available to you and your child in the building.
• Reach Out: Know that there are supports in our school. Connect with your child’s teacher for help if your child is not coming to school. Please know there is "no judgement!".
• Welcome Approach: We employ a welcoming school approach that has proven to be effective. Ensure your child is familiar with me and other caring adults in the building such our CYC (child and youth counsellor) and our SERTS (Special Education Resource Teachers) and of course, your child’s classroom teacher.
• Problem-Solve: Talk to our school team about anything you are hearing might be difficult for your child at school. School staff are always ready to help problem solve.
• Connect Before Leaving: If your child wants to leave school during the day, please encourage them to connect with a caring adult in the school first to see if things can be worked out before they go home.
• Safe Spaces: Have a mental health plan created with your child and school staff. Ensure there is a safe place to go in the school when your child may need some quiet time.
• Gradual Return: If going into the classroom is hard, simply coming into the school building and meeting with a caring adult in a safe space is an important step in getting back to school.
• Plan for Absences: Understand the school's attendance policy and communicate any expected absences in advance. For unavoidable absences like sickness, work with teachers to help your child catch up.
Available Resources
• The school board offers many supports for students struggling with attendance, including access to Attendance Counsellors, Social Workers, and referrals to community agencies.
• If there are barriers to attendance, such as needing food for lunches, resources are available within schools and community.
Remember, every day counts. If you are feeling overwhelmed, remember to be consistent and not give up. Know that there are supports for parents/caregivers if you need them; as the saying goes, "Put on your own oxygen mask, before others".
We look forward to working together to ensure your child has a successful and consistent school year.
Andrea Papavasiliou, PMPS Principal