Nationwide there is a trend of decreased attendance to school and work. Under the federal Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, South Dakota has chosen high and chronic absenteeism and low attendance rate as priority and is providing funds to schools through the SD Department of Education. In November Watertown School District announced that they are receiving funds through the 2025 – 2026 school year. The grant of $500,000 was publicly announced at the November 13th school board meeting.
Watertown School District is addressing student absences at school through a Three-Tiered Approach called “Attendance Matters”. It includes campaigns for attendance (Tier1), more personalized outreach (Tier 2), and intensive intervention (Tier 3). During the school year, chronic absence is calculated by a percent.
Family Support Specialists were hired as part of the $500,000 grant to address attendance. Their work is personalized outreach and general support to students and their families. Most of their efforts will focus on students at risk for chronic absenteeism. A student who is identified as chronically absent has missed 20% of school classroom time. However, general support is provided for all students in circumstances where a Family Support Specialist can assist in getting the student to the classroom. For example, general support was provided during the cold snap when Alex gave students a ride to school when their family’s car wouldn’t start.
Meet:
- Briana French at the High School,
- Alex Molengraaf at the Middle School, and
- Leah Sip assisting with K – 6 grades.