STORY

South Newton Elementary School

At South Newton, student absenteeism had reached critical levels post-COVID. Confusion surrounding attendance expectations, coupled with lingering pandemic habits, led to nearly half of their students missing three or more days in the first quarter of the school year. This absenteeism severely impacted students’ ability to keep up academically. Teachers and administrators recognized that without addressing this issue, students would continue to fall behind. Determined to make a change, South Newton formed a small team, including the principal, counselor, and key teachers, to tackle the issue head-on.

GOAL

Boost Student Attendance

To significantly reduce student absenteeism and improve daily attendance at South Newton Elementary School.

SOLUTION

Implement Improvement Science

Schools That Lead introduced South Newton Elementary to the improvement science methodology, emphasizing small, data-driven changes with measurable outcomes. This method allowed the team to experiment, analyze results, and scale up successful strategies.

The first major change was reframing their attendance letter. Instead of issuing letters filled with policy warnings and consequences, they created letters emphasizing the connection between attendance and academic success. Inspired by behavioral science principles, the letters personalized the message, comparing individual student attendance to their peers and empowering parents to make a positive difference. The letter included:

Result

The Results

Through consistent efforts, South Newton Elementary achieved a significant reduction in absenteeism and strengthened their school community.

• Absenteeism Reduction: Absenteeism dropped from 40% to 18%.
• Improved Family Communication: Families became more engaged and informed about the importance of attendance.
• Community Impact: Teachers, parents, and students collaborated to create a culture of daily attendance and academic success.

South Newton’s story highlights how small, thoughtful changes can drive transformative results. With Schools That Lead’s support, they have shown that innovative solutions and community collaboration can pave the way for student success.