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Newberg SD outlines attendance push as chronic absenteeism ticks up
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Summary
District staff presented attendance data showing daily rates near 91–93% but a gradual rise in chronic absenteeism; school leaders described tiered interventions, incentives and expanded counseling but flagged limits in bilingual support and mental‑health capacity.
District staff and building leaders told the Newberg School District board April 14 that attendance is an active focus as chronic absenteeism edges upward.
Holly, presenting districtwide data, said typical daily attendance runs about 91% and overall about 93%, but noted an uptick in chronically absent students — defined by state standards as missing more than 10% of school days. She attributed a post‑January increase to a severe cold/flu season and the timing of spring break and said the district is monitoring trends with MTSS/SEL data and Panorama.
Dundee Elementary Principal Tim Wright described schoolwide tactics that drove short‑term improvements: a March Madness attendance challenge, an "attendance cup" trophy for winning classes, and individual incentives and raffle drawings for students who reach attendance thresholds. Tim said these universal incentives are paired with Tier 2 personalized plans and Tier 3 intensive interventions for students with the greatest barriers, including transportation and housing instability under McKinney‑Vento protections.
Mountain View Middle School counselor Maddie Koslov Kurtz outlined middle‑school approaches to attendance: expanded clubs and mixers, targeted counseling groups (anxiety and social skills), and partnerships with the district nurse and McKinney‑Vento liaison. Maddie said a shortage of Spanish‑speaking counselors constrains outreach in a dual‑language school and noted that mental health barriers are a major driver of missed days for older students.
Board members asked for school‑level absolute counts in addition to percentages to avoid misleading interpretation when enrollment changes affect percentage rates; staff agreed to provide cohort and per‑building counts. Members emphasized relationship building and climate as core strategies and asked staff to compile best practices districtwide for adoption next year.
"Even up to only three absences, phone calls are going home at every single one of our buildings," Holly said. "We're looking for some patterns and ways to reach out to families."
