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Student services credits "Be Present" campaign, community partners for attendance gains; EL audit and foster care rules flagged
Summary
District student-services leaders described mid‑year attendance gains tied to a Be Present campaign and community partnerships, detailed counseling and English-learner challenges, and warned of coming regulatory changes to foster-care student placement rules.
Plymouth — Student-services leaders Sean Halton and Ben Janulewicz updated the School Committee on June 2 on the district’s attendance work, counseling resources, services for students in foster care or experiencing homelessness, English-learner support and related programs.
Halton said the district has seen improvements in overall attendance and credited a coordinated campaign, community partners and targeted interventions. "If you account for excused absences, then our attendance rate is roughly in the mid-90s," he said, and he pointed to the district’s "Be Present" messaging, four short videos produced with EdTV, and a community truancy summit as central to the work.
Why it matters: Chronic absenteeism is a known predictor of student outcomes. Halton told the committee that…
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