Attendance All-Stars: Dranesville Elementary Sees 14-Point Drop in Absenteeism Amid Flurry of Efforts
September 16, 2024
Reeling from the pandemic, Dranesville saw its share of chronically absent students — those missing 10% or more of school days — skyrocket, like many schools nationwide. Principal Gadley took action immediately, enlisting an attendance team consisting of school counselors, front office staff, and a family liaison to systematize the school’s approach to encouraging daily attendance. Students deemed chronically absent, missing 18 or more days in the 180-day school year, went from 20.6% of Dranesville students in 2022-2023 to just 6.9% in 2023-24.