It will surprise many parents that, in fact, their student(s) are considered chronic absent, truant, or both.
Chronic absenteeism is defined as missing more than 10% of instructional time for any reason, excused or unexcused.
Brenda Payton, in her article in the San Francisco Chronicle on April 22, 2012, revealed that some of the highest rates of absenteeism occur in kindergarten and first grade.
Teresa Drenick, Alameda County deputy district attorney and the architect of the Alameda County Truancy Referral Program, states, “There is a direct line between chronic absenteeism in elementary school, falling behind, not being able to keep up in Junior High, and drop-out rates in high school”.
Drenick goes on to say, “ When you read the probation reports of juveniles and adults convicted of criminal activity, the common denominator is the lack of education”.
The most telling and shocking statistic is how the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation determines how many beds it will need in the future.
According to Superior Court Judge Gloria Rhynes, it is third grade truancy rates! Yes, the prison system analyzes school attendance rates of third graders to decide how many will end up in prison!
Consistent attendance is critical to student learning. So, as we begin the 2012-2013 school year, I’ll see you at school, in class. Every day, on time!
Dave Marken, Ed.D.
Superintendent
Newark Memorial High School is located in Alameda County in the City of Newark, which is home to over 40,000 residents. This 150 year-old community is situated on the southeastern edge of the San Francisco Bay directly off of Interstate I-880 and Highway 84.With its close proximity to San Jose and San Francisco, Newark residents have easy access to the benefits of big city life, while offering the comfort and safety of a small town atmosphere.
The mission of Newark Memorial High School is to empower students in becoming lifelong learners who possess the skills, ethics, and creativity to reach their full potential as contributing, productive, responsible citizens.
Newark Unified School District is comprised of eight elementary schools, two alternative high schools, one junior high, and one comprehensive high school, Newark Memorial High School. Newark Memorial High School serves approximately 2000 students from all ethnic and linguistic backgrounds.
In 2002 Newark Memorial High School opened a 25,000 square foot multi-million dollar Technology Center, a stellar facility that fully integrates technology, science, mathematics and engineering into its curriculum. It features a Science, Technology, Art Research (STAR) Lab, which has ceilings 30' high, and the infrastructure to operate over 1000 computers. The Technology Center features a fully equipped television suite/production center with six edit labs, audio/video suites, audio/video production rooms and an enormous orbital walled television studio with a 25' electronic screen. The Technology Center also houses two full sized project rooms for desktop publishing, four classrooms designated for digital photography, robots, engineering and communications, specialty math and science labs and two intense oversized instruction literacy and math rooms.
Newark Memorial High School maintains a shared commitment to providing students with a world class education based on a strong liberal arts foundation and centered on the district's core values, producing academically skilled and community-minded students with a wide array of post-high school educational and career options.