How to Improve Attendance Before the Holidays

TL; DR:

Attendance tends to dip before long breaks, but it doesn’t have to. Sulphur Springs Union School District focused on data, communication, and school spirit to keep students showing up through the holidays. Their success shows that with the right plan, consistent attendance is possible all year.

Watch the full webinar on-demand

Why Improved Attendance Matters Before the Holidays

The weeks leading into winter break can be full of distractions. Families plan trips, the weather changes, and routines shift. But getting students to class every day is still important..

When students are present, they stay connected to their teachers, classmates, and learning goals. That connection is what fuels student progress. Districts across the country are finding new ways to protect that connection during the busiest months of the year.

That’s why Sulphur Springs Union School District in Santa Clarita, California, made attendance a year-round priority. With a clear plan and consistent communication, they turned what’s often a challenging time into one of their biggest success stories.

How Sulphur Springs Improved Attendance

Sulphur Springs serves about 5,200 students across nine schools in TK-6th grades. Like many districts, they wanted to build stronger daily habits for students and families. Instead of waiting for patterns to appear, they started early and used data.

District leaders reviewed attendance trends from the previous year and spotted where absences tended to rise. By mapping that data month by month, they could see which days and grades were most affected. That insight helped them plan outreach and engagement long before the holidays arrived.

At the same time, they strengthened communication with families. Through SchoolStatus Attend, they sent clear, positive messages in each family’s language, reminding them that every day in class matters. The district also made the process easier for staff by automating attendance letters and reminders, freeing up time to spend with students.

Schools added spirit weeks, celebrations, and classroom events that made the last few days before break feel special. The focus stayed on including everyone and being consistent. They showed students that school is the place to be.

The Results

The district’s year-over-year data told a clear story of fewer absences and stronger engagement, especially around the winter holidays.

Families responded to the positive outreach. Staff felt supported by the automation and insight they had access to. Students began to view attendance as something worth celebrating.

Dr. Eric Guerrero, Director of Pupil Services, shared that their team now reviews attendance data monthly to stay proactive. This allows them to make quick adjustments and keep momentum going throughout the school year.

What Other Districts Can Learn

The key to improving attendance is a thoughtful plan and a few consistent habits. Here’s how to improve student attendance before the holidays and beyond:

1. Start early. Review past-year attendance data to see where dips begin.
   
2. Engage families. Send friendly reminders about the importance of daily attendance. Keep messages clear, positive, and easy to read.
   
3. Celebrate consistency. Recognize students and classrooms with strong attendance. A little recognition can go a long way.
   
4. Create connection. Plan fun schoolwide events that make the final days before a break feel like something students don’t want to miss.
   
5. Use technology to simplify the work. Attendance tools like SchoolStatus Attend help staff act quickly and stay consistent without adding to their workload.
   

When educators, families, and students work together, attendance becomes a shared success story.

Set Your District Up For Holiday Success

Sulphur Springs’ success shows what’s possible when schools use data and communication to keep students connected through the holidays.

Watch the full webinar on-demand to see how they did it and get more ideas to apply in your district.