Palm Springs Unified kicks off Attendance Awareness Month in September

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. — Palm Springs Unified School District is kicking off National Attendance Awareness Month in September with new efforts to encourage students to show up and stay engaged in the classroom.

District leaders say consistent attendance is key to academic success, but they also recognize that some students face barriers outside of school that make it difficult to attend regularly.

“Attendance matters because if the kid isn't here, ultimately, the kid can't learn,” said Desert Hot Springs High School Principal Omar Tinoco. “To be a scholar, you have to be in that chair and actively try to learn something in order to make that change.”

Students like Joel Ruiz, one of the top scholars at Desert Hot Springs High, say attendance also builds positive relationships and life skills.

“I think having good attendance shows good character,” Ruiz said. “It helps build good relationships with your teacher, showing that you do want to be there and you do want to learn. It also helps build good habits.”

Ruiz credits sports and extracurricular activities for keeping him motivated.

“There’s things on campus to help you better yourself,” he said.

To support students who face challenges, the district works directly with families to address specific needs, said PSUSD Student Services Coordinator Garrett Schaperjahn.

“A lot of what we do is individualize with families,” Schaperjahn said. “When we find out that families are in need, we will dispatch our community liaison team to figure out the exact things that parents need. We have this amazing team that works to make sure that our kids can get to school every single day.”

PSUSD is planning spirit weeks, student activities and prizes throughout September to celebrate perfect attendance.

“We did see a dip after the pandemic, and so we are working actively to get that back up,” Schaperjahn said. “We want to set the tone for students coming to school, and we want everybody to have a really successful school year. This really kicks off our commitment to you that we are making all of our efforts known for attendance.”

District officials say families play a critical role in helping students succeed and encourage parents to reach out when they need support.

“If we don't know, though, we can't help,” Tinoco said.

Families are also encouraged to check their school’s social media and ParentSquare for updates on attendance competitions and prizes throughout the month.