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Weems Elementary says chronic absenteeism rate halved to 14% after outreach and staffing changes
Summary
Manassas school board member and Weems Elementary Principal reported a drop in chronic absence from nearly 28% in 2022–23 to about 14%, and linked improvements to staffing, community partnerships and targeted attendance efforts.
Weems Elementary School Principal Michelle Huffman and Manassas City School Board member Sarah Brescia told the City Council on Jan. 27 that the school’s chronic absence rate has fallen from nearly 28% in the 2022–23 school year to about 14%.
Huffman said the school adopted an approach she described as "start with the crown, not the kid," emphasizing equity and consistent expectations across classrooms. She reported a 24% increase in literacy pass rates for kindergarten through second grade and a 6% increase on third‑ and fourth‑grade Virginia Standards of Learning reading tests. Huffman also said math SOL pass rates dropped slightly and attributed part of that to virtual instructors used in prior years; this year the school is fully staffed without virtual instructors.
Why it matters: Chronic absenteeism is strongly correlated with learning outcomes. The council heard that better attendance at Weems has coincided with measurable reading gains and stronger community engagement.
Key details - Attendance: School quality profiles cited by Board member Brescia show chronic absence dropping from nearly 28% to roughly 14%. - Academic results: A 24% increase in K–2 literacy pass rates and a 6% increase on third/fourth grade reading SOLs were reported; Huffman said math pass rates dipped where virtual teachers had been used. - Community support: Businesses and community organizations contributed supplies, 200 student backpacks from a major retailer, 250 stuffed animals for preschool and kindergarten, holiday gift support for about 70 students, and a walk‑to‑school event that drew about a third of students.
Board member Brescia publicly commended Huffman and staff for the attendance gains. Council members who spoke—Tom O’Cena, Councilwoman Vasquez Luna and others—praised the school’s multicultural night and parent engagement efforts, noting that events bringing families onto campus can boost participation.
Questions and follow‑up Council members asked for more detail on family engagement best practices and encouraged continued collaboration between city agencies and the schools. The presentation did not include exhaustive demographic breakdowns for the attendance change; officials said those details are published on the Virginia School Quality Profile for Weems.
Ending Council thanked school leaders and invited the public to watch recorded retreat sessions and school presentations online for more context.
