The Prairie South School Division has kicked off its “Your Presence Matters” campaign, aimed at improving student attendance rates, with the support of River Street Promotions.
The initiative is part of the school division’s strategic plan for 2024-2028, which identified student attendance as a critical area of focus.
Director of Education Ryan Boughen explained the motivation behind the campaign.
“Really that comes from post-COVID. I think all school divisions and school districts across the world saw a decrease in student attendance rates, and a decrease in student attendance rates has a significant impact on the overall well-being and development of a child or teenager,” he said.
Currently, the student attendance rates are at about 90 per cent. While that may seem high, it means that students are missing about 10 per cent of the time, or about 18 or 19 school days per year.
According to Boughen, that level of absenteeism would be considered “chronic” by some American metrics. The goal of the campaign is to reduce absenteeism and increase attendance over a four-year period.
“Even one or two per cent would have a significant impact on attendance,” Boughen noted.
Beginning in late September, the campaign emphasizes the importance of regular school attendance. A letter was sent to all homes within the school division as well as schools, and the initiative was communicated with school community councils to ensure widespread understanding and support.
At the October board meeting, all board members and senior staff donned #YourPresenceMatters t-shirts to promote the campaign. Other efforts to raise awareness include social media campaigns and outreach through the media. The division also hopes to engage business communities and local MLAs to spread the message about the importance of student attendance.
River Street Promotions plays big role in campaign
River Street Promotions has played an instrumental role in supporting the Your Presence Matters campaign.
“River Street Promotions, first of all, is amazing. They do amazing work for both our school division and Holy Trinity School Division, and we’re super fortunate to have them do that work so that we and our students can benefit from that,” Boughen said.
Superintendent of Learning Amanda Olson has worked closely with River Street Promotions to secure funding for t-shirts and decals that are now displayed at schools and on some Prairie South vehicles.
The campaign underscores the connection between school attendance and student mental health and well-being.
“There is a pretty strong body of research that supports that the more students are present in school, the better it is for their mental health and well-being. There is a really nice connection there between those two pieces,” Boughen explained.
Recently, River Street Promotions raised $150,000 for mental health and well-being for the two school divisions through their Homestand ‘24 concert.
Ultimately, the campaign is about the holistic development of students. Boughen noted that regular school attendance helps students build positive connections with adults and fosters a strong sense of belonging, which contributes to their social, emotional, and academic success.
“Some think it’s all about the academics, but there is so much more to it. It’s really about whole child development, and we want the best for our students because we care about them and we know if they are present more, this will have a positive impact on their entire development,” Boughen emphasized.