Students honored for perfect attendance
Date: 6/12/2012
June 11, 2012By G. Michael Dobbs
news@thereminder.comSPRINGFIELD — Students, parents and teachers of the Elias Brookings Museum Magnet School gathered at the J.C. Williams Community Center last week to note the attendance record of 55 of the school's 350 students.
The students who were honored had maintained perfect attendance by the middle of February — the halfway mark of the school year. Of those 28 were on track to have perfect attendance for the year.
Last year only five children had perfect attendance.
Brookings was one of the two Springfield public school damaged by the June 1, 2011 tornado. Students currently attend classes in a temporary structure built behind the damaged building.
To honor their accomplishment, the students received a certificate and $10 plus a gift bag from TD Bank. Cecilia Alvarado, the manager of the bank's branch at Allen and Cooley streets, has been working with the school's students in programs to strengthen their financial literacy.
"This partnership has been priceless," Alvarado said.
The 28 students with the year long record also received a potted flowering plant.
Principal Terry Powe explained to Reminder Publications that last year she realized a new approach to encouraging attendance was needed. Powe organized an "attendance team" that analyzes data and targets students with attendance problems. The students' families receive phone calls and home visits to see if there are problems creating the lack of attendance.
"I'm proud of the team," Powe said.
