To the Lakeside Students, Families, and Greater Hurricane Community:
We are reaching out with concern and urgency regarding student attendance at Lakeside Elementary School. Currently, our attendance rate is alarmingly low, continuing a downward trend, with chronic absenteeism reaching an all-time high. According to recent data from the West Virginia Department of Education, students who attend school regularly outperform their chronically absent peers by 14–18% in English Language Arts and Math. If left unaddressed, these attendance challenges will inevitably influence academic performance and student behavior.
In response, Lakeside Elementary, working in partnership with the Student Leadership Team, Parent-Teacher Organization (PTO), and Local School Improvement Council (LSIC), is launching a dedicated Attendance Task Force.
This task force will focus on four key areas:
1. Family and Community Engagement
2. Awareness and Family Support
3. Health and Wellness
4. Rewards and Celebrations
Our first major initiative includes monthly classroom attendance tracking, setting class-specific attendance goals, weekly progress updates, and monthly rewards for classes that meet their targets. Additionally, we will recognize individual “Attendance All-Stars,” similar to our Student of the Month celebrations.
Further collaboration with the task force and upcoming initiatives will be done during Faculty Senate, LSIC, PTO, and subcommittee meetings. We encourage all families and community members to get involved. Your support is vital to helping our students thrive. Let’s work together to ensure our students are present, ready to learn, and engaged!
Sincerely,
Joseph Mastracci, Ed.D., Principal
Kelli Randan-Pennington, M.A., LPC, School Counselor
Julie Samples, Faculty Senate President
Keshia Stroud, LSIC Chair and PTO President