Parents and caregivers want their children to be happy, healthy, and productive. A focus on health and safety is important for all children as they grow up. Healthy children start to learn skills when they are born. These skills will help them in school and when they are adults.
Teachers can’t do it all! But, sometimes common problems in the classroom and hallways usually extend beyond “bad behavior” and could be indicators of certain health issues. Resolving health issues in school can have a positive impact on attendance and focus during the school day.
Health staff play a pivotal role in a growing child’s life. Doctors, nurses, health educators, and medical support staff all communicate important information to children and families related to physical and mental health and well-being.
Policies and laws help shape school health in practice. As research continues to show how health affects education and vice versa, programs to promote school health are growing. Anyone can be an advocate - students, families, educators, and community members.
The Healthy and Ready to Learn Resource and Training Center provides free trainings to equip all adults in the lives of children with the knowledge and skills to promote strong attendance, community health, and training sensitivity.
For 36 years Children's Health Fund has provided high quality clinical services to children in some of the most underserved communities in the country. The Healthy and Ready to Learn initiative is the next step.
Educators play a critical role in creating a culture of positive attendance at school. It is important to emphasize and monitor attendance starting on day one. Too many absences can make learning hard and cause students to fall behind. Chronic absence - missing 10 percent of the school year, or just 2-3 days every month - can lead to lower grades and test scores. It is also related to lower reading and math skills, and high school graduation rates.
Click on the resources below to learn more about how school attendance affects students in the classroom and later in life.
https://hrl.nyc/node/attendance-importance-educators
