Dear Parent/Guardian:

The staff and community at Skycrest School recognize the positive impact that regular school attendance has on student achievement and resources.  When students attend for even part of the day, they grow academically and help generate more resources for student programs.  In our efforts to support student academic growth and success, we are implementing a school wide attendance awareness campaign:  Every Day Counts!  Miss School – Miss Out!  Throughout the campaign students, families and classrooms will be recognized for having improved or perfect attendance. 

Did you know that schools no longer receive money for excused absences?  Schools only receive funding for students who are present in class.  Each student absence, excused or not, impacts student learning and reduces student resources.  On the average day, SJUSD loses approximately $78,500 due to student absences.

We request your support and participation with our efforts to increase our daily 2008-09 attendance by 1%, as this increase will have a positive impact on student achievement and resources.  You can assist us in attaining our attendance goal by:

·         Planning your family vacations during the summer or school holidays.

·         Scheduling doctor, dentist or other personal appointments for your child before or after school hours.

·         When your child has an appointment in the middle of the school day, bring him/her to school before and after the appointment.

·         Allow your child to stay home only when he/she has a contagious illness or is too ill to attend.

Remember, that good student attendance not only benefits your child, but it also benefits the school community.  Every day a student misses school, he or she gets more than two days behind his or her peers because he or she must make up missed learning and catch up with new learning at the same time.  Attendance is key to helping students succeed, and we need the support of all parents. 

We know that you want the best for your child, and we do too.  Please contact us at 867-2098 if you have any questions about this information or need assistance with your child’s school attendance. For more information on how to meet the requirements for attendance, we invite you to visit www.sanjuan.edu or (www.sanjuan.edu/skycrest.cfm ) to find information.

Sincerely,

Mary Ann Pivetti, Principal