(File photo/paNOW Staff)

By Nigel Maxwell

Get to class

Sask. Rivers School Division launches plan to bring students back to class

Feb 7, 2023 | 11:43 AM

With a rising number of students absent from school, the Saskatchewan Rivers Public School Division is taking concrete steps to turn things around.

One of those steps was the launch last month of a social media campaign to help educate both students and parents. Superintendent Garette Tebay helped spearhead the initiative and explained it was based on anecdotal evidence from staff, as well as feedback from the student trustee.

“It is concerning and we kind of decided we needed to have a short-term approach and a more long-term approach,” Tebay said

The social media campaign, which has consisted of three posts week is considered that short-term solution, in conjunction with conversations with principals relating to what additional resources they may require.

The long-term plan involves the creation of an attendance coalition which will take a deeper look at attendance practices and strategies to increase attendance within the division.

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The coalition consists of senior administration, principals, vice-principals, school social workers and mentors,

“A 10 per cent absenteeism rate is considered concerning and our absenteeism rate is above that,” Tebay said, adding even when a single child rate is away that much, a plan is implemented.

Tebay also noted there is no difference between elementary and high schools, but has more to do with location. The attendance rate at rural shools for example is higher.

When asked why she thought the attendance were so low, Tebay explained the pandemic did have a big impact.

“We just spent two years telling people stay home, stay home, stay home and you get into that habit of staying home so it’s just reminding people it’s important to be at school and our schools are welcoming places. We just want to have kids back and back regularly to make sure they can be successful,” she said.

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nigel.maxwell@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @nigelmaxwell