In January 2019, an article titled The Link Between School Attendance and Good Health was published in Pediatrics (Pediatrics 2019; 143). In this article, the authors Drs. Allison and Attisha provide evidence that chronic absenteeism, even in early grades, is related to “grade retention, poor academic achievement, particularly for social skills and reading” and that these markers of poor school performance are associated with poor health outcomes as adults. At OLMC, we have long recognized the importance of student attendance.
We ask that if a student is not coming to school, or showing up on-line in uniform at the start of the school day, that notification be provided with a reason for the student’s absence.If you do not call us, we will call you. Attendance is monitored and recorded through the Nurse’s Office which allows for the simultaneous monitoring of illness patterns. In our historical attendance data, we can see when our community was most affected by illness and if that illness occurred in an isolated group or was more widespread. One would think, in the midst of an ongoing pandemic, that student absence due to illness would be exceptionally high. But, the numbers tell a different story.
For the period of September 2019 through January 2020 (pre-pandemic) the average number of students absent per day due to illness was 10. For the period of September 2020 through January 2021 (mid-pandemic) the average number of students absent per day due to illness was 4.6. This represents a 54% decrease in absenteeism due to illness. When comparing the months of December and January, the decline is more impressive. In December 2019, the average number of students absent per day due to illness was 14; in December 2020 it was 3.1--a 78% decrease. In January 2020 an average of 14.5 students were absent per day because of illness; in January 2021, we had an average of 4.3 students absent per day due to illness, a 70% decrease in illness caused absenteeism. In December 2019 and January 2020, before the coronavirus invaded Arizona, influenza was “widespread” and many of our students were ill with it. It was suggested back in 2016 that the implementation of simple hand hygiene practices among school children could decrease the spread of respiratory viruses like influenza. (Pediatrics 2019; 143). Today, it is clear that by implementing the measures outlined in our “Smart, Healthy & Holy” plans aimed at providing a safe, healthy environment in which our students can learn that we have not only kept COVID out, but we have decreased the incidence of other respiratory illnesses. Last week in Arizona the total number of lab confirmed influenza cases was 19. In contrast, for the same week in 2020 the number was 2,819 cases (a 99% decrease). In the article referenced above, the authors also state, “Schools that build strong partnerships with families and the community have shown improved student attendance” (Pediatrics 2019; 143). What a blessing it has been to work together, “Home & School”, to have created a safe school environment for our children. By keeping our students “Healthy”, they can attend school, gaining knowledge to become “Smart”, and growing in goodness and in faith to become “Holy”! Let’s keep it going!
Our Lady of Mt. Carmel--Pray for Us!
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