“Eighty percent of success is showing up.” —Woody Allen

That famous quote, for which Allen took credit, was probably said in jest, but there is a lot of truth to it.

Talk to any employer, and they will tell you one of the biggest problems they have with employees is they just will not show up for work. It is a habit often learned early in life – at school.  

Attendance problems in school will lead to attendance problems at work.

Schools in Franklin County are doing a massive outreach to students and parents to encourage perfect attendance in the month of September. Schools are attempting to educate parents and students on the importance of being at school on a regular basis and showing up on time to school and to each class.

“The Franklin County Schools system wants to stress the importance of attending school to all of our parents and students,” said Franklin County Schools Superintendent Greg Hamilton. “Each school will have different activities this month to encourage students to come to school because every day counts.”

Attendance is part of school accountability and affects each school and school system’s report card. Alabama defines chronic absenteeism as missing 10 percent of the school year, which is 18 days.

According to attendanceworks.org, more than 8 million students are chronically absent each year. Children living in poverty are two to three times more likely to be chronically absent.  

Chronic absenteeism affects the grades of students and can affect them with lifelong problems that carry over into whether they can get into college and get or keep a job.

Some of the incentives schools in Franklin County are offering include:

• Belgreen is giving students incentives such as a personalized armband, free break items and extended recess.
• Tharptown High School will be having a Fiesta Party in early October for students who do not miss a day of school or are not tardy. They will have a taco bar catered by El Patron and other fun events.
• Phil Campbell High School hosted a breakfast catered by Chick-fil-A.
• East Franklin Junior High School is hosting a pizza party for the class with the best monthly attendance. Each student with perfect attendance will be put in a drawing at the end of the month for five $10 Walmart gift cards.