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District reports high attendance and new SEL curriculum as it works to reduce chronic absenteeism
Summary
Dr. Margaret Eterredia told trustees the district’s overall attendance is high (in the nineties), chronic‑absenteeism work is shifting to 'presenteeism' and the Wayfinder SEL curriculum has been rolled out with financial‑literacy and digital citizenship components.
Executive Director for Student Services Dr. Margaret Eterredia presented the district’s student wellness and attendance update.
Eterredia said overall attendance across the district is "in the nineties" and highlighted work to reduce chronic absenteeism by reframing it as "chronic presenteeism," focusing on building relationships and celebrating students’ presence. She presented disaggregated figures for groups the district tracks (including English learners and students with disabilities), reported improvements in several groups and said some subgroups continue to need attention.
She described restorative practices in year three of implementation and said staff training, strategic data teams and tiered supports (Tier 1–3) are part of the approach. Eterredia also outlined a new social‑emotional learning curriculum, Wayfinder, chosen for its alignment with middle‑school core values and inclusion of financial literacy and digital citizenship modules.
Trustees asked about documentation for illness absences and whether fall data is being compared to equivalent prior periods; Eterredia said medical slips are requested for multi‑day illnesses and clarified the data comparisons being presented. Board members and staff also discussed outreach to families and accommodations for students whose families express safety concerns.
