One Easy Hack for Improving Absenteeism? A Weekly Class Newsletter.

There's no magic bullet for absenteeism, but there are simple steps schools can take to help. One is sending a digital, translatable weekly class newsletter.

Kara Stern, Ph.D. | Director of Education Content | Smore

A veteran educator, I've been a teacher, principal, ED @ www.mathforamerica.org, head of school, and now Director of Education Content @ Smore. Ph.D. in Teaching & Learning. I ❤️ my Libby app :)

More posts by Kara Stern, Ph.D. | Director of Education Content | Smore.

Kara Stern, Ph.D. | Director of Education Content | Smore

12 Jan 2023 • 4 min read

☕️ Busy? Here's the TL;DR

Absenteeism is costly for schools & students
A weekly class newsletter is one way to help
It provides translatable, easy to access info
A consistent cadence helps build trust
It gives families the right info to support their learners

Want to get everyone communicating consistently?

Student absences cost schools $10.7 billion per year.

Beyond the staggering dollar loss to schools, there is the staggering cost to the students themselves — in terms of performance, self-efficacy, and future employment prospects. While there is no easy fix, a simple school newsletter can make a difference.

Let’s break it down 👇🏽

1. A weekly class newsletter gets the basic info to families.

It might sound obvious, but actually not everyone knows to check the website or has internalized the school year schedule. Families new to the area or the US (or to English), or who are unable to participate in PTA or other school functions, might not know exactly what’s going on or who to ask. A weekly class newsletter that specifies when students are due at school & what to do if there’s a closure goes a long way.

Key point: make sure it’s translatable!

Excerpt of School Newsletter With Attendance Info

2. A consistent cadence helps build trust with families.

A school newsletter can be a proxy for a relationship. In the absence of actual 1:1, when a teacher’s update shows up in a parent’s inbox at the same time each week, with vital info, it takes the place of a conversation. The parent or caregiver begins to rely on receiving that information and it shifts their relationship to the teacher.

In short: it builds trust.

Weekly Classroom Update with Shout-Outs for Students

3. Regular class newsletters allow parents & caregivers to support their children in all the right ways.

If parents don’t know what’s going on in their child’s classes, they can’t support their learning in any concrete way. If their child is struggling, they might not know what help is available to them. Simply including regular info about assignments and school support systems is a great way to get the information home. And research is clear that consistent school communications improves student attendance, behavior, and performance.