North Stafford High School Takes a Personalized Approach to Boost Student Attendance
By Sandra Osborn
GUEST WRITER
North Stafford High School (North Stafford) is taking bold steps to address chronic absenteeism and ensure students stay engaged in their education. Picture this: a team of dedicated educators, phones in hand, reaching out like classic telethon hosts. They’re doing it not to raise money, but to Reclaim Souls and bring students back to school. Instead of celebrity guests and pledge drives, North Stafford’s attendance initiative is all about reconnecting with families, one conversation at a time.
Recognizing that automated messages and broad outreach efforts were not enough to combat absenteeism, the school launched a personalized attendance initiative to directly connect with families and help students return to the classroom. Assistant Principal Lisa Allmond led Reclaim Souls, a telethon-style outreach effort that enlists volunteer teachers to call families of students with high absenteeism. To support this initiative, she arranged for daily building substitutes to cover classes, allowing teachers to focus on these crucial conversations. She also set up a dedicated computer lab with four telephones to facilitate outreach, ensuring as many families as possible received personal contact. Equipped with specific talking points, teachers emphasized the importance of consistent attendance and encouraged parents to commit to sending their children to school. At the end of the call, parents pledged their support to send their children to school.
The results were powerful. More than 300 calls were made to students who had missed seven or more days, and the administration further made personal home visits to more than 100 of those students who had missed 10 to 12 days this year already. Parents were also encouraged to enroll their children in North Stafford’s attendance recovery program, which operates on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 2:15 to 4:15 PM, providing students the opportunity to complete missed assignments, work on projects, and receive help from teachers.
Dr. Dashan Turner, NSHS Principal, stressed the importance of daily attendance, sharing that some students and parents underestimate the impact of missing school. “There are students who maintain good grades but have still missed 14 days of instruction. We need to show families that coming to school every day matters. It sets expectations for the real world and positions students for success,” he said.
Dr. Turner also emphasized that students are safer in school, where staff can provide necessary resources and support. “If we know about a student’s health concerns, we can help connect them with resources. But if parents keep them at home, we are at a loss. We can’t help fill the gap if students aren’t in the building,” he explained.
The school is also implementing positive reinforcement strategies, offering small rewards to students who show improvement in their attendance. Dr. Turner and his team encouraged the parents and students to sign up for attendance recovery, held every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday right after school. During these targeted recovery hours, students may come in and do missed work, projects, or assignments. They can also visit classroom teachers for homework help.
Recognizing the importance of engaging all student populations, Dr. Turner enlisted the help of Roxana Bandes Muldoon, the Director of Student Access and Opportunity, who led efforts to reach Hispanic families by setting up one-on-one appointments at school and in the community. Mrs. Bandes Muldoon helped reassure families that it is ok to send their child to school, and worked closely with the school counselor to provide appointments for families to come into school to receive additional support and guidance.
This initiative is far from a one-time effort. The school plans to analyze attendance data at the end of the month and launch another round of outreach near spring break. Future campaigns will expand to include the top five languages spoken in the community to ensure that more families receive direct and meaningful communication.
"This level of dedication to engaging families and improving student attendance is truly commendable,” said Daniel W. Smith, Ed.D., Superintendent. “The team at North Stafford has set a strong example of how personal connections and proactive outreach can make a real difference in a child’s life. Their efforts not only benefit their students but also serve as a model for schools across the state.”
Chronic absenteeism is a nationwide issue impacting student achievement and long-term success. According to Attendance Works, students who miss 10% or more of the school year, equivalent to just two days per month, are considered chronically absent. Research shows that chronic absenteeism is linked to lower academic performance, increased dropout rates, and long-term negative effects on employment opportunities.
The U.S. Department of Education observed that more than 16 million students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 school year, demonstrating the need for proactive attendance initiatives. Addressing absenteeism early can improve educational outcomes and ensure students have the support they need to thrive.
Dr. Turner summed up the school’s mission with a simple but powerful statement: “School is not an afterthought. Students have fears and struggles, but we can’t overcome them without education. North Stafford is a great place.Through all of our outreach - home visits, phone calls, and one-on-one conversations - we hope that message resonates with the community. We’re passionate, we love our kids, and we want families to know that.”
North Stafford invites local businesses to partner in providing tutoring, incentive rewards, or other support services to students in need. Interested businesses may contact Dr. Turner at turnerda@staffordschools.net.
Sandra Osborne is Chief Communications Officer for Stafford County Public Schools.
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