Mount Vernon School District’s Goal of 100% Graduation Rate

Every day, all day makes the difference

Across the district, principals and staff are creatively working with students and families to emphasize the importance of on-time, all-day attendance. “We want every student to be successful and studies show that good attendance habits and learning go hand in hand,” says Dr. Joni Swanson, Executive Director of Teaching & Learning for the District. Celebrating and rewarding daily and weekly attendance are just a few of the many tools our schools are using to raise student awareness of the importance of consistent attendance habits.” In October, a friendly inter-school challenge for the highest monthly attendance resulted in Lincoln Elementary capturing the traveling trophy with a 96% record!

In addition to providing a welcoming school environment and engaging learning opportunities for students, staff are focused on early detection of absenteeism so they can partner with families on effective solutions. Absences can add up quickly and research demonstrates that when a student misses just 10% or more of school days – 18 or more days in a school year—they are much more likely to fall behind in reading and math, and ultimately, be less likely to graduate on time.

Ensuring regular and on-time student attendance is a crucial first step toward reaching high school graduation for 100% of our students. Let’s work together to make it happen!