QUINCY, W.Va. — Riverside High School Principal Valery Harper pledged Wednesday her school will work to improve its student attendance numbers going forward after new information from the federal government.
The information from the 2013-14 school year showed 34 percent of Riverside’s students had more than 15 absences and were considered “chronically absent.”
“It was the punch in the gut for sure,” Harper said when she saw the numbers. “But you know what? It’s information. It’s information I didn’t have. Attendance has been a priority but now we have to decide what we’re going to do differently.”
Harper points out the new numbers include both excused and unexcused absences. She said her schools attendance rate is markedly better if you take out excused absences but there’s room for improvement.
“That’s (34 percent) astronomical and it’s making me reevaluate what are current initiatives are and how we’re going to make some changes next to make sure attendance, whether it’s excused or unexcused, is in the forefront,” she said.
There have been some good things happening at Riverside. Harper said the graduation rate has increased the past three years and the student retention rate is also on the increase.
“We’re making changes and we’re continuing to grow stronger—-but there is always more work to do,” she said.
The numbers show Sissonville High with a 32 percent absentee rate while George Washington High at the lowest at 4 percent.