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Sandburg Middle outlines attendance and achievement push as chronic absenteeism falls 5 percentage points
Summary
Sandburg Middle School principal Marie Purcell told the board the school is focusing on chronic absenteeism (down about 5 percentage points) and math performance, describing early-intervention outreach, SART touchpoints, home visits, math intervention sections and restorative practices to boost outcomes.
Sandburg Middle School leadership presented campus demographics, state-priority performance gaps and intervention strategies to the Glendora Unified School District board on Feb. 24.
Principal Marie Purcell highlighted that Sandburg’s student population is 63% Hispanic/Latino and that 43% of students are socioeconomically disadvantaged — figures she said exceed district averages. She flagged two state priorities for improvement: a suspension rate near 6% and chronic absenteeism at roughly 16%, a one-year improvement of about 5 percentage points.
To address performance gaps, Purcell described a combination of strategies: three math intervention sections taught by an intervention specialist, grade-level math tutorials, ELD supports, expanded counseling check-ins by interns, and restorative-practice alternatives to suspension. "We pull all the SARTs from the previous year and...meet with the families and just do a touch base as a preventative," Assistant Principal Dr. Robin Perez said, describing early outreach that precedes formal SART action.
Trustees pressed for details on what drives absenteeism and what supports the site needs. Purcell and Perez said transportation, family work schedules and anxiety contribute case-by-case, and that staff are tracking unexcused absence alerts while gathering more qualitative data during SART meetings. The school also is testing incentives and mentorships to increase participation in after-school tutorials, which leaders said are currently underutilized.
Why it matters: Chronic absenteeism and gaps in math proficiency are core state priorities that affect funding, accountability and student readiness. Sandburg’s targeted interventions seek to address those measures with a mix of prevention, targeted instruction and community outreach.
What’s next: Purcell said regular data collection (including common-assessment checks at quarter starts) and cross-campus collaboration will guide further steps; trustees asked staff to show evidence of outcomes and consider board support where needed.
