With the new school year approaching parents can help get kids started off right by making good attendance a priority. School officials say regular attendance at school keeps students up-to-speed on classwork and headed for a bright academic future.
School officials stress the importance of regular attendance in school – especially for kids in elementary. They say it is critical to the child’s academic success.
Rapid City School District Assistant Superintendent Katie Bray says when kids miss multiple days of school they miss out on essential information. She says many fundamental skills are learned early on.
“Kindergarten, first, second, and third grade are critical academic grades for children. The research tells us that some of the most critical reading and mathematical skills that children acquire in their entire educational career occur K, 1, 2, and 3,” says Bray.
Bray says absences can contribute to a child falling behind in their studies and it can be difficult for them to catch up. In addition, repeated absences can spell trouble in other ways – especially for kids in middle and high school.
Pennington County Deputy State’s Attorney RJ Rylance says when kids habitually miss school it can create an opportunity for mischief.
“Often kids who start with truancy offenses can end up getting themselves into other law violations: minor consuming, drug use, petty theft, and as with most crimes they can actually lead, and we have seen them lead to even more serious crimes than that, with more serious theft or more serious drug use.” says Rylance.
Officials say in order for kids to stay out of trouble and be successful in school it’s essential that they’re getting there and staying there.