First graders Aubree Simpkins, left, and Chloe Ellison of Southern Local Elementary School were among children at Southern Local Elementary School who recently enjoyed a petting zoo, one of a variety of rewards students there received for maintaining good attendance. (Submitted photo)

SALINEVILLE – Officials at Southern Local Elementary School said efforts to encourage regular attendance have paid off, with absenteeism reduced by about half.

For maintaining good attendance, pupils in grades K-5 earned the opportunity to see a visiting magician or petting zoo or take a trip to an area skating rink or Raptor Hollow Sanctuary, a refuge for birds of prey and other animals.

Jacquelyn Collins, the school’s guidance counselor, said, “For the 2024-25 school year, we had 111 of 354 students who missed 10 percent of school or more, with 31 percent chronically absent. This year, 53 of 379 students missed 10 percent of school or more, with 15 percent chronically absent.”

The Ohio Department of Education classifies chronic absenteeism as missing 10 percent of the school year, or about 2 or 3 days per month or about 18 days for the school year.

State officials count the lost instructional time by hours and include absences that have been excused.

Collins said rewards like the petting zoo have been provided for students who have missed 14 hours or less for the current quarter.

“It was exciting because students would ask me how many hours they had missed just to make sure they wouldn’t go over the threshold and could still attend our incentives,” said Collins.

She added there were competitions between pupils in each grade, with the winner getting to choose their reward.

For each day of perfect attendance for children in each grade, a feather was placed on the wall, with a reward going to those in the grade that earned 10 feathers first.

Collins said rewards for the grade level competitions have ranged from extra time at recess to pajama or beach ball parties.

She said the campaign encouraged the pupils to assume some responsibility in being present at school and helped to ensure they didn’t fall behind in learning key skills, such as reading and math, that serve as a foundation for those introduced at higher grade levels.

“This helped them from getting behind in school, which often has a spiraling effect,” said Collins.

She noted that often leads to students having a poor attitude about school and themselves.

“If they feel behind or lost, they disengage and don’t want to be at school,” she said.

“We are thankful to the teachers, administrators, parents and students who supported this endeavor to make sure that kids were at school and make it fun and exciting, said Collins.

(Submitted material)