Jefferson-Lewis BOCES, Local School Districts Launch Creative Initiatives to Improve Attendance and Reduce Chronic Absenteeism

Watertown, NY — Schools across the North Country, like districts statewide and nationwide, are facing persistently high rates of student absenteeism. In response, Jefferson-Lewis BOCES has partnered with local school districts and Cornell Cooperative Extension of Jefferson County through a federally funded Full-Service Community Schools (FSCS) grant to implement creative, student-centered strategies aimed at improving attendance and reducing chronic absenteeism in the region.

Participating districts include Belleville Henderson Central School District, LaFargeville Central School District, and the Sackets Harbor Central School District, all of which are working collaboratively to address attendance challenges while strengthening school culture and student engagement.

The FSCS grant supports students in grades 6–12 and focuses on a comprehensive approach that recognizes attendance as both an academic and community issue. The initiative’s primary goals include improving attendance and reducing chronic absenteeism, ensuring schools are positive and welcoming environments, providing meaningful out-of-school opportunities for students, and organizing family and community events that strengthen connections between schools and the communities they serve.

To meet these goals, each participating school has established attendance-focused teams that regularly monitor student attendance data and conduct outreach to students and families when concerns arise. Schools are also implementing attendance challenges and incentive programs designed to motivate students and recognize positive attendance patterns in engaging and fun ways.

Each district has produced a monthly newsletter during the school year, which has been distributed to families.  Each issue outlines fun facts and provides great information/tips to encourage regular school attendance.

Regular month long attendance challenges have also been implemented by the participating districts. During January and February, each school is hosting a month-long attendance challenge, including initiatives such as “AttenDANCE Celebration(Belleville Henderson),” “Lights, Camera, Attendance (Sackets Harbor),” and the“Red Knight Cup (LaFargeville).” These challenges reward individual students and grade levels for meeting attendance goals and emphasize celebration,teamwork, and school pride.

“The Full Service Community Schools grant has been instrumental in addressing chronic absenteeism and strengthening attendance at Sackets Harbor,” says Jennifer Gaffney, Sackets Harbor Central School District Superintendent. “This funding has allowed us to refocus our efforts on coordinated, intentional strategies and to take concerted action across the school community. These efforts are producing results. At this point in the school year, we have recorded 100 fewer absences compared to the same time last year.”

Partners involved in the FSCS grant hope these efforts will not only improve attendance outcomes locally, but also raise awareness about chronic absenteeism and showcase the positive, proactive strategies schools are using to address it.

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