Mustang eNewsletter
Celebrating Over Fifty Years of Excellence (1971-2022)
January 7, 2023
Chronic Absenteeism is 21.3%
Just prior to the winter break I shared the wonderful news about West Hill being a Category 1 School of Distinction. I also shared that our chronic absenteeism rate was the area that needed the most improvement.
Friday was the 80th day of school. Since chronic absenteeism is triggered whenever a student misses 10 percent or more of the school year, anyone who has missed 8 days or more (10% of the school year to date) is on pace to be considered chronically absent.
The state goal for chronic absenteeism is 5 percent (or less) of a school's enrollment. Last year, West Hill's chronic absenteeism rate was 13.9 percent. We are on pace to have an absenteeism rate of 21.3 percent. This is both concerning and disappointing.
Fortunately, there is still plenty of time to turn that around! I know there has been illness this winter, so if your child is truly sick, keep them home. But if they are well enough to come to school, please make sure they are here.
You can also help by scheduling vacations outside the school year. Our last day of school is June 12th. However, we add a day to the school calendar for each day school is canceled (for weather-related events). For example, if we have 5 snow days, our last day of school would then be June 19th. Remember, absences in June count as much as they do in October!
Going forward, I will update families on our progress with each newsletter. The staff and I will also be reaching out to families in the upcoming weeks to schedule attendance meetings in order to find ways to best support our students.
Thank you for your anticipated cooperation!
Saturday Edition!
- The Cora J. Belden Library is hosting a Preschool Expo on January 11th. Please click on the link HERE to register and/or read more about the program.
- The Rocky Hill Parent Advisory Group (RHPAG) is holding a meeting on January 18th. Please see the attached flyer for more information.
- Project Graduation (Rocky Hill High School) has a flyer attached this week as well.
Word of the Week
expo (noun)
/ˈekˌspō/
1: a large exhibition.
PTO Events
LEGO RePlay (ends Tuesday, January 10). LEGO RePlay allows you to pass forward your much-loved LEGO bricks and share the power of play with kids in need.
Book Swap (January 11-13). See the flyer below for more information!
Please plan on joining us on Tuesday, January 17, 2023, at 6:00 PM (in person and virtual options) to hear about all the exciting events we hope to have in 2023.
About Us
Email: noziks@rockyhillps.com
Website: http://westhillelem.ct.rde.schoolinsites.com/
Location: 95 Cronin Drive, Rocky Hill, CT, USA
Phone: (860) 258-7761
Twitter: @PrincipalNozik