Attendance Measures and Student Support

If you’re not here, you can’t learn.

At OCSD, our focus is on daily attendance. The bottom line? We want our students in school every day! Our goal is to decrease chronic absenteeism at each of our schools.

What is Chronic Absenteeism?

Chronic absenteeism means a student misses 10% of the school year. In other words, a student who misses 18 days out of the 180 days in a school year is considered chronically absent. A student who misses two days of school each month will miss twenty total days from September to June, making them a chronically absent student.

What We’re Doing

Consistent student attendance is a cornerstone of academic success. It is our firm belief that every day in the classroom presents a unique opportunity for learning, growth, and connection. Ogdensburg CSD is committed to fostering an environment where regular attendance is not just encouraged, but actively supported and monitored. We believe that by working together, we can cultivate a culture of attendance that empowers our students to reach their full potential. We have developed attendance and student support measures at every grade level.

The district’s philosophy emphasizes that students’ emotional well-being must be prioritized. School officials believe that a caring adult can be a powerful motivator for a student’s desire to attend school. The district also uses a system of recognition and rewards for students who achieve perfect attendance or show marked improvement, further encouraging consistent school attendance.

Student Support Coordination at OFA: Connecting with Students and Families

During the 2024-25 school year, the district dove deep into the issue of absenteeism, recognizing that a student’s attendance is often linked to factors beyond the classroom. A Student Support Coordinator was brought on board for the school year to examine common factors and research solutions at OFA. The work that was begun during that year is continued by the district’s school counselors and social workers. Armed with that initial foundation of research-based solutions, the Ogdensburg City School District reinforces its dedication to working collaboratively with parents to support the entire family unit and foster a positive school experience for all students.

Daily Attendance Efforts at OFA

As part of daily attendance efforts at OFA, a daily review of attendance data is completed by district staff to pinpoint trends and students who are frequently absent. This proactive strategy allows for early intervention and outreach to families to understand the root causes of absenteeism, which can include transportation issues, anxiety, or family challenges. The district is dedicated to offering a variety of support services, from providing transportation during the school day to adjusting student schedules to create a more comfortable learning environment.

Elementary Initiatives Make School (Even More) Fun

Both Madill and JFK Elementary schools take a creative approach to encourage consistent attendance from the district’s littlest learners. Both schools’ incentive-based plans reward perfect attendance by offering a one-of-a-kind VIP experience for students. The programs generate a buzz among students and anticipation builds for the next drawing. They have proven to be a memorable and effective way to celebrate student achievement and make perfect attendance a coveted goal by transforming a simple act of recognition into fun and engaging school-wide events.

The Principal Taxi Drives Attendance at Madill

Every five weeks, Madill students who have maintained perfect attendance for the preceding period are entered into a drawing. Three lucky winners are then selected to be chauffeured around the school for an entire day by Principal Disalvo herself. Using a distinctive yellow chair, she serves as the designated “taxi driver,” providing door-to-door service from the moment students arrive until they are dismissed.

Two-Wheeled Adventure Makes School at JFK More Exciting

JFK Elementary also launched a super-fun attendance incentive during the 2024-25 school year. Instead of a taxi, Principals Melissa Fennessy and SueEllen Bouchard play chauffeurs on a bicycle built for two!

Every day a student arrives to school, they get a chance to win a ride. Each week, a few lucky winners get to skip the walk and cruise around the school in style, with the principals pedaling them from class to lunch and back. Students are all smiles as they are chauffeured to and from their classes. It seems like a little two-wheeled adventure is all it takes to make showing up to school a whole lot more exciting!