A message from the Superintendent

Sept. 30, 2011

(Sent to all Seattle Public Schools staff)

Good Morning:

Next week is the launch of the “Be Here Get There” campaign. The City of Seattle, along with Seattle Public Schools, the Alliance for Education and Get Schooled, are working together to make attendance a priority for the 2011-12 school year. Seattle Public Schools has set a goal of having at least 80 percent of students with fewer than 10 absences by 2013. In the 2009-2010 school year, only 62 percent of students were meeting that goal. We can and must do better if we are to succeed in our mission that every student graduates prepared for college, career and life.

The research is clear and compelling. No matter the cause of absence - whether excused or unexcused - every day that a student misses school negatively impacts his or her academic success. Missing as few as three days of school is strongly associated with lower student achievement. Missing 10 days of school is highly predictive of dropping out and never graduating.

“Be Here Get There” is a comprehensive effort to address chronic absences by providing incentives to get students to school, rewarding positive behavior, and educating students, families and the community about our shared responsibility of ensuring that our students attend school each and every day.

What you will see after Monday’s launch:

• Promotional posters: Schools will receive posters and a community letter. Talented Seattle Public Schools students worked with a team of artists to develop the logo, brand, identity and artwork for the posters.

• Fun prizes:

o For grades K-5, the classroom within each school with the most improved average daily attendance from the prior month will win a prize.

o For grades 6-12, students who have fewer than five absences at the semester and at the end of the year will be automatically entered into a prize drawing. These prizes include bicycles, membership to the Pacific Science Center, tickets to EMP, tickets to local music venues (all-ages shows), VIP tickets to Bumbershoot, iTunes gift cards, gift cards to restaurants and more.

I want to thank City Year Corps Members and the Youth Ambassadors for serving as the “boots on the ground” to help deliver posters and prizes to many of our schools.

We are excited to partner with the City of Seattle, the Alliance for Education and Get Schooled on this exciting initiative. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to ask.

Thank you for all you are doing for our students.

Sincerely,

Susan


Susan Enfield, Ed.D.
Interim Superintendent
Seattle Public Schools

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