Pictured above: Students work on computer problems during class time. September is National Truancy Awareness month. Even in early grades, chronic absenteeism is a precursor to academic failure. Through partnerships with St. Lucie Public Schools, Children’s Services Council of St. Lucie County we look to engage our students in a way that makes attending classes valuable to them and their future path.
September is recognized nationally as Attendance Awareness Month, which is a national campaign to promote the value of regular school attendance and the necessary steps to reduce chronic absence. Encouraging regular school attendance is necessary to achieve and develop a strong foundation for success in school and in the future. It will help your child achieve better grades in school, develop healthy habits, avoid dangerous behaviors and have a better chance of graduating from high school.
Boys & Girls Clubs of St. Lucie County has been at the forefront of youth development for over 24 years providing young people a safe, educational and fun environment within our 20 locations throughout the county. We serve more than 15,000 youth annually with our afterschool, summer and outreach programming such as truancy, which assists in promoting regular school attendance.
Boys & Girls Clubs of St. Lucie County’s Truancy Program has been in existence since 2006, through continued funding received by the Children’s Services Council. Together in partnership with the St. Lucie Public Schools service is provided to 15 elementary schools. The goal of the Truancy Program is to reduce the rate of absenteeism within the schools served and to help better educate families by informing them of the truancy laws, school policies regarding attendance and the possible consequences. The Truancy Program provides services such as working with school officials to identify children who have 5 or more unexcused absences, monitor attendance records and contact families of students who continue to have excessive unexcused absences. In addition, families are referred to community resources and truancy court as needed.
Join us in promoting Attendance Awareness Month in September in support of your child’s future. Here are some tools that can be used to help promote, support and establish good attendance:
Parents
- Promote the importance of school by sending your child regularly and on time.
- Establish basic routines, consistency is key.
- Develop a backup plan for getting your child to school.
- Communication: ask for help when and if it is needed.
Schools
- Continue to spread the word throughout the year the importance of regular school attendance.
- Celebrate Attendance Awareness throughout the school year.
- Create incentives, display posters.
- Recognize and reward children with improved/perfect attendance.
Community
- Local business can offer coupons as incentives to distribute to students with improved/perfect attendance.
- Support your local school
About the Boys & Girls Clubs of St. Lucie County
Boys & Girls Clubs of St. Lucie County is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing youth with a world class Boys & Girls Club experience, assuring that success is within reach for every young person who walks through our doors, and that every Club member graduates from high school with a plan for the future, demonstrating good character and citizenship and living healthy lifestyles. The Club enables all young people, especially those who need it most, to reach their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens.
With 20 locations throughout the county, Boys & Girls Clubs programs serve a diverse group of kids from grades K-12. We serve 15,000 youth throughout the year from a variety of backgrounds. Be part of something wonderful and take a tour of an area club by calling (772) 460-9918 or visiting www.bgcofslc.org or at www.facebook.com/bgcofslc.
