Post-Pandemic Participation at Hellgate: An Analysis
Improving Attendance at Hellgate High School: A Holistic Approach
Hellgate High School is set to implement changes aimed at addressing the decline in student attendance since the shift to online learning due to the pandemic. The school recognizes the importance of in-person attendance and the value it offers beyond academics.
According to recent data, lower attendance at Hellgate is directly correlated with lower grades on average. Some students believe it is possible to skip most days of a class and still earn an A, but a student with poor attendance is likely to have D's, F's, or other low grades.
Being in class in person is valuable for developing "soft skills" such as showing up, being on time, being prepared, and being engaged. Individual students lose out on these essential skills when they do not attend class.
School officials, including Principal Pham and Assistant Principal Troutt, are planning changes to address the attendance issues. Pham acknowledges that the issue is complex and may not have an easy solution. She suggests that teachers should follow through with detention for multiple unexcused absences to discourage students from skipping class.
Teachers have had to put classwork on Google Classroom, allowing students to do work on their own time. However, if a student misses class, they will be required to make up the work. This change aims to emphasize the importance of attending class and being in the school building.
Cellier, a school counselor, believes that there is a lack of accountability from teachers in enforcing consequences for unexcused absences. He believes that teachers need to be more proactive in addressing student attendance issues.
The student body is apprehensive about the upcoming changes, with many students believing that classwork can be easily done online, reducing the need to attend class daily. However, the school aims to counteract this mindset by fostering engagement, improving relationships with families, and addressing practical barriers to attendance.
The school's strategies include home visiting programs, flexible learning models, cross-department collaboration, building a sense of belonging and engagement, using data for targeted interventions, and community partnerships. These approaches aim to counteract the ease of online learning and overcome the diminished urgency some families feel about in-person attendance by addressing practical barriers, fostering engagement, and improving relationships with families to encourage consistent attendance.
This reflects a shift from punitive attendance policies to supportive, holistic approaches recognizing the pandemic’s complex effects. The changes at Hellgate High School are part of a larger trend in schools post-pandemic, as they strive to improve student attendance and reaffirm the value of in-person learning.
[1] Attendance Works. (2021). Addressing School Attendance Challenges Post-Pandemic. Retrieved from https://www.attendanceworks.org/resource/addressing-school-attendance-challenges-post-pandemic/
[2] National Association of School Psychologists. (2021). Enhancing School Attendance. Retrieved from https://www.nasponline.org/resources-and-publications/resources-and-podcasts/school-safety-and-crisis-response/school-safety/enhancing-school-attendance
[3] U.S. Department of Education. (2021). Supporting Student Attendance. Retrieved from https://www2.ed.gov/policy/elsec/leg/essa/nonreg/supp-stu-attend.html
[4] U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2021). Improving School Attendance. Retrieved from https://www.hhs.gov/ash/oah/adolescent-development/school-health/school-health-programs/improving-school-attendance/index.html
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