The presents have been unwrapped and the Christmas decorations packed away. Another page has turned on the calendar. It’s 2019 – time to file away all those fun holiday break memories and get back to school.

Class resumes Monday at 8 a.m. for students and teachers in the Denair Unified School District.

The second semester includes plenty of excitement, important tests and milestone events, capped off with graduation for the Denair High Class of 2019 on May 24.

There is a lot of work to be done between now and then.

One districtwide initiative that will begin with the new year is an increased emphasis on attendance.

There are many critical reasons that all students should attend school, yet even in a district like Denair with consistently high attendance rates across all its campuses, there are students who are chronically absent.

Superintendent Terry Metzger wants to remind students and parents that regular attendance is essential to establish a path toward academic success – at all grade levels. Students who fall behind and miss valuable classroom time sometimes have a hard time catching up.

“We want students to be on time, every day, and stay for the whole day,” she said.

School also provides an important social outlet for children and teens. Sports, band, clubs and other extracurricular activities are part of a well-rounded education and reinforce skills like teamwork, respect, trust and responsibility.

Starting Monday, all of the DUSD campuses will begin flying a special flag when attendance is 95% or higher that day.

Also Monday, a social media campaign will begin on the district’s various Facebook pages. The theme is “It’s Not the Same Without You. YOU Matter!” Over the upcoming months, the district will share a mixture of fun and serious reasons while all students should come to class every day.

In addition, each campus has plans to reward and acknowledge students with perfect or high attendance.

DHS Attendance Flag