The Greene County School District has a policy in place to coincide with a new state law.
Greene County Schools Superintendent Brett Abbotts says the School Board approved at their November meeting a new policy about chronic absenteeism and truancy regulations as part of the state law that was passed during the most recent legislative session and signed by Governor Kim Reynolds earlier this year. He tells Raccoon Valley Radio the policy outlines the protocols that are in place at each of the school buildings that are consistent across the district, with the final step involving a meeting with the Greene County Attorney’s Office.
Abbotts stresses the importance of attending school and the administrative team’s philosophical perspective is that students learn best when they are in school.
“When they are in front of our teachers, that’s when they’re going to have the best chance to grow and learn. And so with them not being here that obviously makes our academic goals pretty difficult. So I do agree that there needs to be (a) pretty serious expectation about attending school.”
Abbotts adds that the district is working towards the mantra that when students wake up Monday through Friday mornings, it is part of their routine to attend school. He notes that families should have received a frequently asked questions letter that was sent. You can click the link below to access the chronic absenteeism policy.