Authorities in Council Bluffs are working together to cut down on the truancy rate.
Representatives of Council Bluffs area schools, the City of Council Bluffs and Pottawattamie County are gathering on Thursday, August 30th for a news conference to announce a renewed effort this school year to encourage regular school attendance by all students.
The event will be held at Longfellow Elementary School, 2011 S. 10th Street in Council Bluffs at 11 a.m., with photo/ video opportunities in classrooms before and after the news conference.
Recognizing the need to increase the average daily attendance from the 91% rate two years ago, Council Bluffs Community School District Superintendent Martha Bruckner invited leaders of the Lewis Central Community Schools, St. Albert Catholic Schools and Iowa School for the Deaf to join in promoting the importance of students attending school every day.
Together, they serve about 12,000 students. According to Dr. Bruckner, the focus is being renewed this year as districts see that it is making a difference. The percent of students who are regularly attending school increased this past year at every school in the Council Bluffs Schools, with 95% of elementary and middle school students attending on a daily basis.
Council Bluffs Mayor Tom Hanafan will sign a proclamation to signify the 2012-13 school year as one to focus on increasing attendance. Police Chief Ralph O’Donnell and Assistant County Attorney Dawn Landon will also be present. This joint effort is designed to raise the awareness in the community of the need for all adults to make sure children are attending school every day unless they are ill.
Under Iowa Law, students who are at least six and less than 16 years of age on September 15th must enroll in school for the entire school year. The parent, not the child, would be reported to the county attorney if the child is repeatedly absent without an approved excuse.
