Be Here. Be Ready. Belong

Every student deserves to feel like they belong at school. Regular attendance helps students learn, build relationships, participate in activities and stay connected to their school community.

When students are here:

• They have more opportunities to succeed academically and stay on track in their classes.
• They can build strong relationships with teachers, classmates and other members of their school community.
• They are more likely to feel supported, connected and included in school.
• They have greater opportunities to prepare for graduation, college, career and their future.

When students miss school, they miss more than classroom instruction. They also miss experiences, relationships and connections that can be difficult to recreate. That is why Columbia Public Schools (CPS) is asking families, students, staff and community members to work together to make regular, on-time attendance a priority.

We understand that students sometimes need to miss school because of illness or other circumstances. Our goal is not simply to count absences. We want to understand the barriers that may make attendance difficult and work with families to help students be at school whenever possible.

Most importantly, we want every student to know that their presence matters. When students are here, ready to learn and connected to their school community, everyone benefits.

Be Here. Be Ready. Belong.