Campus working to boost attendance

By Juan Villanueva |

Out of the seven traditional high schools in NEISD, our campus still holds the lowest daily attendance.

Roosevelt itself, just like any other high school in the district, is funded by the state based on student’s daily attendance and with students not coming to school, this means finance problems.

For this year’s first quarter, our campus goal of having a 95 percent attendance was only met during the first two weeks of school, and once during the third week of school. The goal was met only four times in the second quarter of school.

This means that every other day the school had an attendance of less than 95 percent for the first semester of this school year.

“I think we need to create impact on academic performance; It’s tough because I believe Roosevelt would achieve higher standards at the 95 percent attendance requirement,” Principal Melvin Echard said. “Students would also perform better in school, exams, SAT’s and EOC’s.”

Average attendance rate is based on only second period. At about 2900 students, around 5 percent of them are not present. This means that around 150 students do not attend their second period.

“The attendance here in school is okay, but not good,” sophomore William Gamez said. “We are hanging by a thread.”

Roosevelt has the lowest attendance when compared to the NEISD total HS attendance percentage

Roosevelt achieves the lowest attendance when compared to the NEISD total HS attendance percentage

 

During the first six weeks of school, the school achieved an attendance of 94.7 percent. When compared to last year’s first six week of 95.7 percent, a decrease can be seen. The same decrease is seen in the second and third six weeks, which means that during the first 18 weeks of this year’s school year, Roosevelt’s attendance has slowly gotten worse.

Low student attendance also affects school ranking and money that schools receive.

To prevent students from not coming to school, the school is thinking on multiple rewards for those who attend school.

From a lottery system with tickets given to those to who attend school to additional restroom, homework passes, to class parties, the idea of rewards for students who attend school, is slowly growing.

“For the first semester the class with the best attendance earned a class party,” Coach Caesie McHenry said. “We counted tardies and absences, and we will try to do the same this semester.”

For students who have multiple absences, these can be made up in Saturday school.

Saturday school is available on selected Saturdays, here on campus and costs eight dollars. For students who receive free or reduced lunch, they can talk to an administrator and this fee can be waived.

Saturday school consists of five hours in detention hall, with no talking, only working and a 15 minute break during this time.

“I don’t know why, but attendance is difficult to understand,” English Teacher Cynthia Bass said. “It can be extenuating circumstances for some, but not all. Fortunately it’s a problem we’ve recognized and are working diligently to fix.

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