San Diego Padres third-baseman Manny Machado and the San Diego Unified School District have teamed up for a public service campaign on the importance of school attendance, it was announced Friday.
To help promote strong attendance, the Padres will provide tickets to students, staff and families at the school that increases attendance the most this spring, among the elementary schools most impacted by absenteeism.
Following the COVID-19 pandemic, chronic absenteeism has hit the nation’s schools hard, particularly amongst those serving less-affluent areas. Locally, it is no different.
“Being on the field every day develops my skills as a player. Being in the classroom every day develops your skills as a student. This way you, too, can achieve your dreams. The sky’s the limit,” Machado tells students in a PSA. “So remember to be like a pro, always go.”
Elementary students at every school in San Diego Unified that improves attendance will have the opportunity to enter an opportunity drawing for tickets to a Padres game, a district statement reads.
San Diego Unified schools will share the PSA during the attendance contest throughout March and April. The results will be announced in May.
“For our students to thrive, they need to be in school every day,” Superintendent Lamont Jackson said. “When our students are in school, they have access to academics and counseling services, free nutritious meals, support from their peers and from caring school staff.
“Even for our youngest learners, it is important to attend school regularly,” Jackson said.
Research cited by the district shows that missing 10% of kindergarten is associated with lower academic performance in first grade, especially among Latino students, according to the nonprofit organization, Attendance Counts. For students from socioeconomically disadvantaged families, the academic impact of missing 10% of kindergarten can extend through fifth grade.
COVID-19 and other illnesses, mental health needs, housing and food insecurities, unmet transportation needs, and inflation, all contribute to chronic absenteeism, the district statement read.
According to the district, “San Diego Unified is committed to identifying the root causes of chronic absenteeism, and is working to implement solutions and strategies to support families so all students can regularly attend school and thrive.”
–City News Service