October 9, 2025 • 19 mins
In this episode of From Forest to Shore, we explore the crucial link between school attendance and student success. We're joined by Director of Career and Community Learning, Sam Rosenberg, and Family Engagement Specialist, Migda Carrero, to discuss the barriers to attendance and the proactive strategies the school district has in place to help families. They share their insights on how consistent attendance impacts not only academic achievement but also a student's long-term well-being and future career prospects.
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Episode Transcript
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(00:00):
Welcome, everyone, to the officialpodcast of the Stratford Public Schools.
(00:09):
From forest to shore, I'm Matthew Rivers,Director of Operational Technology.
And I'm Dr. Michelle Eckler,Director of Instructional Technology.
We're here to share the stories thatconnect our community, all of which
reflect our mission to support the growthof the whole student through a challenging
and inspiring education within asafe and inclusive environment.
(00:30):
Every episode, we'll introduce you to thevery people who embody our portrait of a
graduate, the communicators,collaborators, lifelong learners, and
solution-driven problem solverswho make our district shine.
Like our town motto, our Schools andClassrooms are a tapestry of diverse
students and dedicated staff, and webelieve every one of
(00:51):
them has a story to tell.
It's more than just a podcast.
It's a journey through theheart of our community.
We'll be your guide sharing the latestdistrict news, diving into important
policies, and highlighting theachievements of the people who
make our schools exceptional.
We invite you to join us as we have honestconversations and share key updates.
(01:13):
This podcast is for all of us, thestudents, the staff, the families, and the
community members who takepride in our collective work.
It's a place to get informed, feelconnected, and be inspired by the
power of education in Stratford.
We're proud to share these stories withand we can't wait for you to hear them.
(01:33):
Welcome back to Forest to Shore.Thanks, Matt.
Today, we're diving into a topic that'sincredibly important for student
success, school attendance.
We're fortunate enough to have two keymembers of our team joining
us to discuss attendance.That's right.
We're joined by our Director of Careerand Community Learning, Sam Rosenberg.
Hello, everyone.
Our Family EngagementSpecialist, Migna Carrero.
(01:56):
Hello.And thank you both for being here.
All right.
So we're going to startwith our first question.
Sam, from your perspective, what's thedirect connection between consistent
school attendance and a student's longterm success, not just academically,
but also in their future careers?Sure.
Happy to answer that.Habits comes to mind.
(02:17):
So consistent attendance builds habitsthat then last a lifetime, right?
So we start in preschooland elementary school.
Just by definition, we know that missingat least 10 20% of the year, which equates
to about two days a month,put students at risk.
So they'll be falling behind, particularlyin the topics of literacy and mathematics.
(02:41):
And so those skills form the foundationof all later academic success.
But also just thinking long term, it'sabout employability and career pathways.
So if you think employers consistentlyemphasize the importance of reliability,
punctuality, commitment, trade studentsbegin to develop simply just by
(03:03):
showing up every single day to school.
So attendance is notjust about compliance.
It's about building readinessfor high school graduation.
You have the post-secondary opportunitiesIt's an ultimately a stable career.
It's important for usas adults to be in work.
If we're not here, wedon't get the job done.
(03:23):
And I think you touched on agood point about the
one With a chronic absenteeism, I don'tthink guardians or even community members,
it's two days out of 10, right?Yep.
And you're instantly chronically absent.Right.
(03:44):
And that's based on state statues, howthey define it, and then ultimately how
the school system has to then developtheir policies and
procedures around it, too.
We know that students get sick, and inthose situations, we understand that.
I mean, a student gets the flu in themiddle of the school year, you might be
out for five days, butit's on an average overall.
(04:07):
If you're not coming to school outside ofthat just because you don't feel like
coming to school, then you get sick,and that just exacerbates the problem.
Exactly.
This question is for Migda.
As a family engagement specialist, youwork directly with families every day.
(04:27):
What are some of the most common barriersto attendance that you see, and what's the
best way for parents and guardians towork with the school to overcome those?
Well, one of the biggest barriers I see isthat family often face
challenge in three areas.
Health, transportation, andfamily or housing instability.
(04:48):
Some families struggle with chronicillness or mental health needs, others
with reliable rides, and some withstressors like housing transitions.
The most important thingis open communication.
When familiesreach out to the school early,
they reach the teachers to the familyengagement office, we can
(05:11):
problem-solve together.
That might mean connecting them tocommunity resources, helping create
backup, transportation plan,or adjusting school support.
Even simple routines at home, likeconsistent bedtime or morning
habits, makes a big difference.
At the end of At the day, attendance is asheer responsibility between
(05:33):
family, school, and community.
When everyone works together,we can set up students up for success.
You make such a greatpoint on the routines part.
As a parent myself, That wasprobably one of the hardest things getting
my children into wasbefore school routines.
And now my children are in two differentschools that have two
(05:53):
different start times.
And so our family routines had to adjust.
And so really sitting down with myand thinking about, okay, what time?
Like backtracking, almost.
What time do they need to get up to makesure that they have enough time to have
breakfast, to make sure that they'redressed, to make sure that
we're out at the bus on time?
You have to start almost like, okay,here's when the bus is picking
us up and let's go backwards.
(06:15):
It's hard to do, but it's, I think, one ofthe reasons you're right that those that
come to school are so successful when theyhave those morning routines really set up.
And a lot of parents in Trevor have thesame issues that you're having that they
have to go to two different schools.
And sitting with them, because sometimesthe whole problem solving situation for
them because they have a verylife that is busy and they have stressors
(06:39):
and there's a lot of otherpersonal issues that they have.
Just sitting with someone, it could be ateacher It could be us, the team, the
family community engagement team sittingwith us and just breaking
those in little tiny pieces.
They feel of a relief.
They feel supported.
And if they need any adjustments, if theycan't figure it out themselves,
they tend to call us back.That's awesome.
(07:01):
And I thinkmaking it clear that those small pieces,
all of themprogressively grow into a possible
issue when it comes to attendance.
But raking it down small piece by piecedefinitely gives a window
into, okay, I can change this.
I can do this slightly differently.
(07:23):
Absolutely.
You're prepping them for life, too.
I mean, when you really think about it,what do we do when we get ready for work?
We have to think about whattime do I have to be at work?
Back it up, back it up, back it up, backit up, back it up until I get to the point
where, What time do I have to wake up?
So you're really preparing your studentsfor the future when they
do those things, too.
Actually, we try to do it.
(07:44):
We have also a conversationwith the students.
So it's not only the parenthaving this problem solving, it's also
incorporating that child because sometimesthe parents are the one that wants to do
all the problem solving, but we need thechild to be part of it for them to
have those skills in the future.Yeah.
Such a good point.
All right.
So our next question is for both of you.
(08:05):
So we're going to ask you to share some ofthe proactive strategies and resources
that Stratford has put into place to helpour families ensure their
children attend school regularly.
You talked a bit about helping themunderstand their routines and schedules,
but what other things do we have in placeto make sure that attendance is happening?
I think Migda answeredit a little earlier.
(08:27):
One of the points would be that,first off, the school teams, we use data
as a school system in general todata-driven instruction, just
data driving everything we do.
We use the data regularly, and that helpsus to identify the warning signs That's
the right part of the processis to ensure that we have these.
(08:48):
We look at the indicators and the warningsigns of attendance before they then
become defined as chronic,as Matt said earlier.
That's one thing that'sa proactive initiative.
The other piece I would say, and theschools are really doing a great job in
establishing this is the Action Teens forPartnership or ATP, as some might know it.
(09:09):
That brings together a community ofteachers, parents,
outside community members to helpsupport the school attendance goals.
We've gone to several ATP team meetings,and it's really refreshing and reassuring
to see so many community members herewho want to assist, who want to help.
(09:30):
We need to make sure that that message isout to the rest of our families,
that there are resources that can assistin the immediate or in
the long term as well.
Stratford is also part oflearning engagement initiative from the
state, and so we do have some funding thathelps to establish the attendance
(09:52):
specialists within the buildings.
Stratford then adopts theLEAP, is what we would say as an acronym,
because in education,we love acronyms, right?
That's very true.
There are several strategies within LEAP.
The one thing is that the consistentmessaging about the
importance of attendance.
That's messaged from day one, evenbefore the kids get to school.
(10:14):
Over the summer, we have our back toschool initiative, and that's just
giving them the strategies head on.
Then trying to address equitygaps and so forth, too.
We provide target interventionsfor students that are most at risk.
There's It's a process to it.
It starts at the classroom.
It starts within the school building.
It goes to Tier 2, which would be ourattendance specialist stepping
(10:37):
in and doing some outreach work.
That's all funded by CSDE'slead program right now.
The Other pieces, I don't know, I go backto the community collaboration,
and Migda can attest to this.
We have a lot of partnerships,specifically with one of
the bearers being health.
(10:57):
We have a partnershipwith the health services.
That's the strategy, is to make sure westreamline those access to care
and just connect with localorganizations just to remove any other
food insecurity after school supervision.
So the schools are often clubsthat kids could engage in.
And so they're just proactive thingsthat schools are trying to do right now.
(11:21):
Anything else I missed, Mikda, possibly?
No, I think you actuallyhave covered everything.
I think also just having our attendancespecial is being open and welcoming to the
families and making thoseearly phone calls in the air.
We do check on them.
We call them for when they are strugglingor when they're not struggling or
when they're accomplishing goals.
(11:41):
Because when we do home visits, we doask, What are your goals for your child?
We want them to know that there's someonecheering them up, that
there is someone supporting.
And that's the message that we want togive them, that you're not here alone,
that you have a whole entirecommunity partnering with you.
I doMrs. Borges was actually talking about all
(12:04):
of our community partners, and Idefinitely think that parents need to...
You can visit the website.
You see all of our partners in Stratfordand leverage those opportunities because
they do have a lot ofreally good resources.
Yeah, 100 %.
I've worked in other districts, and I'venot experienced quite as much
(12:25):
as is available in Stratford.
The community of Stratford is verylucky to have we have available to them.
Yeah.
Next question is for Sam.
Let's look at this from thestudent's point of view.
How can we help them understand the realvalue of being present in school beyond
(12:46):
just meeting academic requirements?
Yeah, I think, and Mignamentioned goals, right?
Not just asking the parents,but you got to talk to the kids.
You got to talk to the students andconnecting the attendance to their goals.
What are their hopesand dreams and so forth?
I've been a teacher for a while, been aneducator for a while, and
(13:06):
what I recognize is studentsoften think in very short term.
So if they miss school, they'relike, Oh, it's just one day.
No big deal.
So you have to sit down.
We pretty much explain that everyoption represents some lost opportunity.
So whether it's missing a lab or groupproject or exposure to other career paths,
(13:27):
we then show them, going back to data, wethen show them the data that students with
good attendance are more likelyto graduate on time, right?
And they have moreaccess to opportunities.
And in the secondary, there's internshipsand dual enrollment opportunities as well.
So we want to see...
We want them to see, really, thatschool is not just an obligation.
(13:47):
I got to get up, I got to behere, and then I leave, right?
But it's a very tiny stepping stonetowards back to their future and how
they envision themselves moving forward.
And that just small piece sense ofgoing and being in school, just that alone
can change all of your demographic data,your academic data, just by showing up.
(14:14):
Yeah.Yeah.
I mean, being engaged in the school,getting involved in the community at the
school, it really does, I think, change astudent's mindset about
being there if you have a connection.
So that's really awesome.
And it goes to our team for thisyear, which is our student voice.
(14:35):
We want to hear you, right?
Yeah, that's huge.All right.
So our last question is for you, Migda.
Could you share a success story or a greatexample of how a collaborative effort
between a family and the school helpedimprove a student's attendance
and overall well-being?
So one of the stories that really standsout, it's about a family who was new to
(14:59):
our community last year, and shewas facing multiple challenges.
She didn't have reliable transportation.
She was juggling health issues, strugglingwith basic school uniforms
or school supplies.
At one point, her child hadalready missed many days of school.
Once we connected through home visits, wewere able to link her with community
(15:21):
resources for transportation.
We provided with school supplies and makesure her child had everything
they need to attend school.
Over time, attendance and academicsimproved, and the family grew more stable.
And for me, this shows exactly what we'retrying to create here in Strafford, or
(15:42):
what we are creating And it's that thepower of partnership, it's very important.
We want to let those families know howwe care for them and how we
are going to support them.
When families and school work together inpartnership, Partnership, we can remove
barriers and create opportunityfor children to thrive.
(16:04):
And one more thing I want to say aboutthis family I think it's important is,
with all that support, she evenapplied to a job at the board of Ed.
Oh, fantastic.And now she's working with us.
That's amazing.She's at an important time level.
So that's great.It goes full circle.
Yeah, exactly.
And I think that's a fantastic example of,possibly somebody not
(16:27):
knowing what's available.
And And having people understandthat you just need to ask somebody.
Somebody is going to point you in theright direction anywhere here, really.
It's back to thatopportunity thing, right?
Right.
We're trying to createopportunities for students.
(16:48):
We're trying to getopportunities for families.
And we want to know.I think that's one thing we want to know.
Exactly.
Some parents, when we visit them, theyfeel a little shy or they're like, oh, no,
that was the school problemor that doesn't affect.
I was like, no, that does affect becauseit's a barrier, because it's
something that you need support.
(17:08):
Our administrators, our teachers, oursupportive team, our family engagement
team, that's why we're here for.
And that's the message that we're tryingto create for them to know that
we're not going to judge you.Exactly.
We just want to support you.
We're part of a big community.
Yeah, exactly.I love that.
Sam and Migda, thank youfor joining us today.
(17:31):
Happy to be in attendance.Yeah.
Before we sign off, how can ourlisteners contact you and your team?
Just so everybody has that information.
Yeah, we definitely can be reached viaphone or email
Most of our attendance specialists arepretty much all over in any activities
that the schools are hosting.
(17:52):
So you'll see them at open house night.
Like I said, you'll see themat the back to school fair.
You'll hear from them because they mostlywill pick up the phone and just check in
and check up and see how are you doing andwhat do you need and how
can the school support you.
So definitely email usif you have any concerns.
That's probably the best way only becausewe're so much out into the other schools
(18:15):
that we don't always pick up a phone rightaway, but you can always
leave a message, too.So I think email is probably the best way.
I can give you my email right now.
Sure.Sure.
Sure.Sure.
So mine is Rosenbergs@stratk12.
Org, and R-O-S-E-N-B-E-R-G-S@stratk12.Org.
(18:35):
And we can also find your informationof your group on our website as well.
Definitely.
I mean, our family engagement line, andI'll give you the family
engagement line is 203-385-5730.Awesome.
Well, thank you both again so much.
Your work and insights on this topic arejust so valuable to our community, and we
(18:58):
really do appreciate you talking withus today and sharing them with us.
And we look forward toseeing everyone again soon.
Yeah.Great.
Thank you, guys.
And that brings us to the end ofanother episode from Forest to Shore.
Thank you so much for joining usand for being a part of our story.
We're grateful for the opportunity toshare the amazing work happening in our
schools, from theclassrooms to the community.
(19:21):
To stay connected and get all the latestnews from Stratford Public Schools, be
sure to follow us onInstagram at stratfordpsct.
You can also find this on YouTube.
Just search for Stratford Public Schools.
For even more information, includingdistrict news and event calendars,
visit our official website at www.
(19:43):
Stratfordk12.Com.
We hope you feel more connected andinformed, and we'll see you on the
next journey from Forest to shore.
Welcome, everyone, to the officialpodcast of the Stratford Public Schools.
(00:09):
From forest to shore, I'm Matthew Rivers,Director of Operational Technology.
And I'm Dr. Michelle Eckler,Director of Instructional Technology.
We're here to share the stories thatconnect our community, all of which
reflect our mission to support the growthof the whole student through a challenging
and inspiring education within asafe and inclusive environment.
(00:30):
Every episode, we'll introduce you to thevery people who embody our portrait of a
graduate, the communicators,collaborators, lifelong learners, and
solution-driven problem solverswho make our district shine.
Like our town motto, our Schools andClassrooms are a tapestry of diverse
students and dedicated staff, and webelieve every one of
(00:51):
them has a story to tell.
It's more than just a podcast.
It's a journey through theheart of our community.
We'll be your guide sharing the latestdistrict news, diving into important
policies, and highlighting theachievements of the people who
make our schools exceptional.
We invite you to join us as we have honestconversations and share key updates.
(01:13):
This podcast is for all of us, thestudents, the staff, the families, and the
community members who takepride in our collective work.
It's a place to get informed, feelconnected, and be inspired by the
power of education in Stratford.
We're proud to share these stories withand we can't wait for you to hear them.
(01:33):
Welcome back to Forest to Shore.Thanks, Matt.
Today, we're diving into a topic that'sincredibly important for student
success, school attendance.
We're fortunate enough to have two keymembers of our team joining
us to discuss attendance.That's right.
We're joined by our Director of Careerand Community Learning, Sam Rosenberg.
Hello, everyone.
Our Family EngagementSpecialist, Migna Carrero.
(01:56):
Hello.And thank you both for being here.
All right.
So we're going to startwith our first question.
Sam, from your perspective, what's thedirect connection between consistent
school attendance and a student's longterm success, not just academically,
but also in their future careers?Sure.
Happy to answer that.Habits comes to mind.
(02:17):
So consistent attendance builds habitsthat then last a lifetime, right?
So we start in preschooland elementary school.
Just by definition, we know that missingat least 10 20% of the year, which equates
to about two days a month,put students at risk.
So they'll be falling behind, particularlyin the topics of literacy and mathematics.
(02:41):
And so those skills form the foundationof all later academic success.
But also just thinking long term, it'sabout employability and career pathways.
So if you think employers consistentlyemphasize the importance of reliability,
punctuality, commitment, trade studentsbegin to develop simply just by
(03:03):
showing up every single day to school.
So attendance is notjust about compliance.
It's about building readinessfor high school graduation.
You have the post-secondary opportunitiesIt's an ultimately a stable career.
It's important for usas adults to be in work.
If we're not here, wedon't get the job done.
(03:23):
And I think you touched on agood point about the
one With a chronic absenteeism, I don'tthink guardians or even community members,
it's two days out of 10, right?Yep.
And you're instantly chronically absent.Right.
(03:44):
And that's based on state statues, howthey define it, and then ultimately how
the school system has to then developtheir policies and
procedures around it, too.
We know that students get sick, and inthose situations, we understand that.
I mean, a student gets the flu in themiddle of the school year, you might be
out for five days, butit's on an average overall.
(04:07):
If you're not coming to school outside ofthat just because you don't feel like
coming to school, then you get sick,and that just exacerbates the problem.
Exactly.
This question is for Migda.
As a family engagement specialist, youwork directly with families every day.
(04:27):
What are some of the most common barriersto attendance that you see, and what's the
best way for parents and guardians towork with the school to overcome those?
Well, one of the biggest barriers I see isthat family often face
challenge in three areas.
Health, transportation, andfamily or housing instability.
(04:48):
Some families struggle with chronicillness or mental health needs, others
with reliable rides, and some withstressors like housing transitions.
The most important thingis open communication.
When familiesreach out to the school early,
they reach the teachers to the familyengagement office, we can
(05:11):
problem-solve together.
That might mean connecting them tocommunity resources, helping create
backup, transportation plan,or adjusting school support.
Even simple routines at home, likeconsistent bedtime or morning
habits, makes a big difference.
At the end of At the day, attendance is asheer responsibility between
(05:33):
family, school, and community.
When everyone works together,we can set up students up for success.
You make such a greatpoint on the routines part.
As a parent myself, That wasprobably one of the hardest things getting
my children into wasbefore school routines.
And now my children are in two differentschools that have two
(05:53):
different start times.
And so our family routines had to adjust.
And so really sitting down with myand thinking about, okay, what time?
Like backtracking, almost.
What time do they need to get up to makesure that they have enough time to have
breakfast, to make sure that they'redressed, to make sure that
we're out at the bus on time?
You have to start almost like, okay,here's when the bus is picking
us up and let's go backwards.
(06:15):
It's hard to do, but it's, I think, one ofthe reasons you're right that those that
come to school are so successful when theyhave those morning routines really set up.
And a lot of parents in Trevor have thesame issues that you're having that they
have to go to two different schools.
And sitting with them, because sometimesthe whole problem solving situation for
them because they have a verylife that is busy and they have stressors
(06:39):
and there's a lot of otherpersonal issues that they have.
Just sitting with someone, it could be ateacher It could be us, the team, the
family community engagement team sittingwith us and just breaking
those in little tiny pieces.
They feel of a relief.
They feel supported.
And if they need any adjustments, if theycan't figure it out themselves,
they tend to call us back.That's awesome.
(07:01):
And I thinkmaking it clear that those small pieces,
all of themprogressively grow into a possible
issue when it comes to attendance.
But raking it down small piece by piecedefinitely gives a window
into, okay, I can change this.
I can do this slightly differently.
(07:23):
Absolutely.
You're prepping them for life, too.
I mean, when you really think about it,what do we do when we get ready for work?
We have to think about whattime do I have to be at work?
Back it up, back it up, back it up, backit up, back it up until I get to the point
where, What time do I have to wake up?
So you're really preparing your studentsfor the future when they
do those things, too.
Actually, we try to do it.
(07:44):
We have also a conversationwith the students.
So it's not only the parenthaving this problem solving, it's also
incorporating that child because sometimesthe parents are the one that wants to do
all the problem solving, but we need thechild to be part of it for them to
have those skills in the future.Yeah.
Such a good point.
All right.
So our next question is for both of you.
(08:05):
So we're going to ask you to share some ofthe proactive strategies and resources
that Stratford has put into place to helpour families ensure their
children attend school regularly.
You talked a bit about helping themunderstand their routines and schedules,
but what other things do we have in placeto make sure that attendance is happening?
I think Migda answeredit a little earlier.
(08:27):
One of the points would be that,first off, the school teams, we use data
as a school system in general todata-driven instruction, just
data driving everything we do.
We use the data regularly, and that helpsus to identify the warning signs That's
the right part of the processis to ensure that we have these.
(08:48):
We look at the indicators and the warningsigns of attendance before they then
become defined as chronic,as Matt said earlier.
That's one thing that'sa proactive initiative.
The other piece I would say, and theschools are really doing a great job in
establishing this is the Action Teens forPartnership or ATP, as some might know it.
(09:09):
That brings together a community ofteachers, parents,
outside community members to helpsupport the school attendance goals.
We've gone to several ATP team meetings,and it's really refreshing and reassuring
to see so many community members herewho want to assist, who want to help.
(09:30):
We need to make sure that that message isout to the rest of our families,
that there are resources that can assistin the immediate or in
the long term as well.
Stratford is also part oflearning engagement initiative from the
state, and so we do have some funding thathelps to establish the attendance
(09:52):
specialists within the buildings.
Stratford then adopts theLEAP, is what we would say as an acronym,
because in education,we love acronyms, right?
That's very true.
There are several strategies within LEAP.
The one thing is that the consistentmessaging about the
importance of attendance.
That's messaged from day one, evenbefore the kids get to school.
(10:14):
Over the summer, we have our back toschool initiative, and that's just
giving them the strategies head on.
Then trying to address equitygaps and so forth, too.
We provide target interventionsfor students that are most at risk.
There's It's a process to it.
It starts at the classroom.
It starts within the school building.
It goes to Tier 2, which would be ourattendance specialist stepping
(10:37):
in and doing some outreach work.
That's all funded by CSDE'slead program right now.
The Other pieces, I don't know, I go backto the community collaboration,
and Migda can attest to this.
We have a lot of partnerships,specifically with one of
the bearers being health.
(10:57):
We have a partnershipwith the health services.
That's the strategy, is to make sure westreamline those access to care
and just connect with localorganizations just to remove any other
food insecurity after school supervision.
So the schools are often clubsthat kids could engage in.
And so they're just proactive thingsthat schools are trying to do right now.
(11:21):
Anything else I missed, Mikda, possibly?
No, I think you actuallyhave covered everything.
I think also just having our attendancespecial is being open and welcoming to the
families and making thoseearly phone calls in the air.
We do check on them.
We call them for when they are strugglingor when they're not struggling or
when they're accomplishing goals.
(11:41):
Because when we do home visits, we doask, What are your goals for your child?
We want them to know that there's someonecheering them up, that
there is someone supporting.
And that's the message that we want togive them, that you're not here alone,
that you have a whole entirecommunity partnering with you.
I doMrs. Borges was actually talking about all
(12:04):
of our community partners, and Idefinitely think that parents need to...
You can visit the website.
You see all of our partners in Stratfordand leverage those opportunities because
they do have a lot ofreally good resources.
Yeah, 100 %.
I've worked in other districts, and I'venot experienced quite as much
(12:25):
as is available in Stratford.
The community of Stratford is verylucky to have we have available to them.
Yeah.
Next question is for Sam.
Let's look at this from thestudent's point of view.
How can we help them understand the realvalue of being present in school beyond
(12:46):
just meeting academic requirements?
Yeah, I think, and Mignamentioned goals, right?
Not just asking the parents,but you got to talk to the kids.
You got to talk to the students andconnecting the attendance to their goals.
What are their hopesand dreams and so forth?
I've been a teacher for a while, been aneducator for a while, and
(13:06):
what I recognize is studentsoften think in very short term.
So if they miss school, they'relike, Oh, it's just one day.
No big deal.
So you have to sit down.
We pretty much explain that everyoption represents some lost opportunity.
So whether it's missing a lab or groupproject or exposure to other career paths,
(13:27):
we then show them, going back to data, wethen show them the data that students with
good attendance are more likelyto graduate on time, right?
And they have moreaccess to opportunities.
And in the secondary, there's internshipsand dual enrollment opportunities as well.
So we want to see...
We want them to see, really, thatschool is not just an obligation.
(13:47):
I got to get up, I got to behere, and then I leave, right?
But it's a very tiny stepping stonetowards back to their future and how
they envision themselves moving forward.
And that just small piece sense ofgoing and being in school, just that alone
can change all of your demographic data,your academic data, just by showing up.
(14:14):
Yeah.Yeah.
I mean, being engaged in the school,getting involved in the community at the
school, it really does, I think, change astudent's mindset about
being there if you have a connection.
So that's really awesome.
And it goes to our team for thisyear, which is our student voice.
(14:35):
We want to hear you, right?
Yeah, that's huge.All right.
So our last question is for you, Migda.
Could you share a success story or a greatexample of how a collaborative effort
between a family and the school helpedimprove a student's attendance
and overall well-being?
So one of the stories that really standsout, it's about a family who was new to
(14:59):
our community last year, and shewas facing multiple challenges.
She didn't have reliable transportation.
She was juggling health issues, strugglingwith basic school uniforms
or school supplies.
At one point, her child hadalready missed many days of school.
Once we connected through home visits, wewere able to link her with community
(15:21):
resources for transportation.
We provided with school supplies and makesure her child had everything
they need to attend school.
Over time, attendance and academicsimproved, and the family grew more stable.
And for me, this shows exactly what we'retrying to create here in Strafford, or
(15:42):
what we are creating And it's that thepower of partnership, it's very important.
We want to let those families know howwe care for them and how we
are going to support them.
When families and school work together inpartnership, Partnership, we can remove
barriers and create opportunityfor children to thrive.
(16:04):
And one more thing I want to say aboutthis family I think it's important is,
with all that support, she evenapplied to a job at the board of Ed.
Oh, fantastic.And now she's working with us.
That's amazing.She's at an important time level.
So that's great.It goes full circle.
Yeah, exactly.
And I think that's a fantastic example of,possibly somebody not
(16:27):
knowing what's available.
And And having people understandthat you just need to ask somebody.
Somebody is going to point you in theright direction anywhere here, really.
It's back to thatopportunity thing, right?
Right.
We're trying to createopportunities for students.
(16:48):
We're trying to getopportunities for families.
And we want to know.I think that's one thing we want to know.
Exactly.
Some parents, when we visit them, theyfeel a little shy or they're like, oh, no,
that was the school problemor that doesn't affect.
I was like, no, that does affect becauseit's a barrier, because it's
something that you need support.
(17:08):
Our administrators, our teachers, oursupportive team, our family engagement
team, that's why we're here for.
And that's the message that we're tryingto create for them to know that
we're not going to judge you.Exactly.
We just want to support you.
We're part of a big community.
Yeah, exactly.I love that.
Sam and Migda, thank youfor joining us today.
(17:31):
Happy to be in attendance.Yeah.
Before we sign off, how can ourlisteners contact you and your team?
Just so everybody has that information.
Yeah, we definitely can be reached viaphone or email
Most of our attendance specialists arepretty much all over in any activities
that the schools are hosting.
(17:52):
So you'll see them at open house night.
Like I said, you'll see themat the back to school fair.
You'll hear from them because they mostlywill pick up the phone and just check in
and check up and see how are you doing andwhat do you need and how
can the school support you.
So definitely email usif you have any concerns.
That's probably the best way only becausewe're so much out into the other schools
(18:15):
that we don't always pick up a phone rightaway, but you can always
leave a message, too.So I think email is probably the best way.
I can give you my email right now.
Sure.Sure.
Sure.Sure.
So mine is Rosenbergs@stratk12.
Org, and R-O-S-E-N-B-E-R-G-S@stratk12.Org.
(18:35):
And we can also find your informationof your group on our website as well.
Definitely.
I mean, our family engagement line, andI'll give you the family
engagement line is 203-385-5730.Awesome.
Well, thank you both again so much.
Your work and insights on this topic arejust so valuable to our community, and we
(18:58):
really do appreciate you talking withus today and sharing them with us.
And we look forward toseeing everyone again soon.
Yeah.Great.
Thank you, guys.
And that brings us to the end ofanother episode from Forest to Shore.
Thank you so much for joining usand for being a part of our story.
We're grateful for the opportunity toshare the amazing work happening in our
schools, from theclassrooms to the community.
(19:21):
To stay connected and get all the latestnews from Stratford Public Schools, be
sure to follow us onInstagram at stratfordpsct.
You can also find this on YouTube.
Just search for Stratford Public Schools.
For even more information, includingdistrict news and event calendars,
visit our official website at www.
(19:43):
Stratfordk12.Com.
We hope you feel more connected andinformed, and we'll see you on the
next journey from Forest to shore.
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