Suffield district reports 94% daily attendance, outlines interventions for chronic absenteeism

Suffield district leaders presented attendance data on March 17, telling the Board of Education that the district’s overall daily attendance rate is 94% but that chronic absenteeism remains a concern in specific grades.

Superintendent Matthew Dunbar thanked Principal Anthony Hibbert and Assistant Principal Matt Dobi for the Suffield High School attendance presentation and said the district is reviewing how attendance is measured. Dunbar noted the district remains above the state average but highlighted chronic-absence trends and the need for targeted interventions.

Principal Hibbert said the high school is strengthening parent and student engagement with frequent communication and personalized outreach for students identified as chronically absent, including one-on-one meetings with administrators and individualized attendance plans. Assistant Principal Dobi reviewed the attendance policy and cautioned about the risk of credit loss for students with excessive absences; he said many absences stem from mental health challenges, family responsibilities or disengagement from learning.

District intervention strategies cited in the presentation include home visits, attendance contracts, increased parent communication, use of a School Family Liaison, and supports provided through the district’s multi-tiered systems of support (MTSS). The transcript records that grade-by-grade chronic-absence numbers were reviewed but does not list those figures in full.

Board members discussed how attendance is captured, timing of attendance letters, and thresholds that define chronic absence. The board asked staff to continue refining reporting and interventions; minutes note follow-up and further review by the Data Ad-hoc Committee.