10/04/2026
Attendance Matters - Let's Keep the Momentum Going
As we wrap up the first nine weeks and head into Fall Break, we want to say a sincere THANK YOU to our students, parents, and families.
This school year has brought new attendance laws and additional requirements for schools and families across Mississippi. There has been a lot of discussion about attendance, excuses, notifications, and procedures. But through all of that, the most important message is still the simplest:
We need our students at school.
And after the first nine weeks, our families are doing an outstanding job.
Last year, our district's chronic absenteeism rate was 26.2%. At the end of the first nine weeks this year, our current rate is 9.02%.
That is tremendous progress, and we THANK YOU!
Being at School Matters
An excused absence is certainly better than an unexcused absence when it comes to following attendance requirements, but there is an important distinction every family needs to understand:
An excused absence is still an absence.
Chronic absenteeism is based on the total number of days a student misses school - excused and unexcused. A student is considered chronically absent when he or she misses 10% or more of the school days in which the student is enrolled.
For the first nine weeks, a student with 5 total absences is considered chronically absent. By the end of the first semester in December, that number will be 9 total absences.
That is why our focus cannot simply be on turning in excuses. Our focus must be on having students at school whenever they are able to be here.
Every day in school provides another opportunity to learn, receive help from a teacher, participate in class, build relationships, and stay on track academically. A day here and a day there may not seem significant at the time, but those missed days can add up quickly.
Let's Make the Second Nine Weeks Even Better
Fall Break is a great opportunity, when possible, to schedule appointments and take care of things that might otherwise require students to miss school.
When we return, let's keep the momentum going. Our goal is to decrease our chronic absenteeism rate even further by December.
Please continue communicating with your child's school when an absence is necessary and submitting excuses in a timely manner. Also, be mindful of check-in and check-out times. Most importantly, please make every effort to have your child at school every day he or she is able to attend.
If there is a barrier making regular attendance difficult - transportation, family circumstances, health concerns, or something else - please communicate with us. We want the opportunity to work with you and help find solutions.
To our parents and families, thank you. 9.02% is a great start. The improvement we are seeing is a direct result of your effort and partnership.
Enjoy Fall Break. Take care of those appointments when you can, enjoy some time together, and come back ready for a strong second nine weeks. See you all on October 12th as we begin Homecoming week in the NCSD!
Every day matters. Be here. Keep learning. Keep moving forward.
One Community. One Mission. One Neshoba.
Sincerely,
Josh Perkins, Superintendent
