Got Attendance Issues? Leveraging School Counselors to Improve Attendance Rates
MSAA Professional Development Workshop for Administrators and Counselors |
Got Attendance Issues? Leveraging School Counselors to Improve Attendance Rates |
School districts across the country are struggling with the increased number of students who are labeled as chronically absent, meaning they miss more than 10% (typically 18+ days) of the school year. The growing number of students is primarily caused by the pandemic but also is because of more and more mental health challenges faced by our students today. This session will focus on how school counselors, along with school administrators, can move the needle to improve attendance rates. Participants will learn about the root causes of chronic absenteeism and hear about specific strategies that schools can implement to assist chronically absent students get to school, such as warning systems, family engagement tactics, and community partnerships. We will also share best practices and resources and everyone will leave the session with an action plan to implement upon return to their schools/communities. |
Workshop Goals/Objectives: · Define chronic absenteeism and its effects on student achievement and · Examine the root causes, including the pandemic's impact and rising mental health challenges · Identify evidence-based strategies that effectively improve student attendance · Discuss collaboration between school counselors and administrators to reduce absenteeism · Learn how to build relationships and create school environments that support consistent attendance · Discover strategies to support students struggling with attendance due to mental health and other barriers · Create a tailored action plan to address chronic absenteeism in participants’ schools and districts |
When: Tuesday, February 3, 2026, from 8:30 am to 11:30 am |
Delivery Method: In-Person Workshop |
Location: The MSAA Office, 33 Forge Parkway, Franklin, MA |
Presenter: Bob Bardwell, Massachusetts School Counselors Association, Inc |
PD Hours: 3 in Content Area Safe and Supportive Learning Environments |
Fees: Member $150 /Non-Member $205 |
Discount: School Counselors & MASCA Members $30 |
MSAA Contact: Victoria Ellison, vellison@msaa.net |
Bob Bardwell | Massachusetts School Counselors Association, Inc Bob Bardwell has been a school counselor and school counseling director for 33 years. Previously he has worked in various positions at Framingham High School, the Boston Public Schools, Southwick-Tolland Regional High School, Monson High School, Tantasqua Regional High School. and Dean Vocational High School. He is a former Board Director of the National Association for College Admission Counseling, and the American School Counselor Association (ASCA). Bob is a Past President of New England ACAC and MASCA. He became the part-time Executive Director of MASCA in July 2019 and was the former Team Lead of Reach Higher Massachusetts, an initiative of the former First Lady Michelle Obama. He received his bachelor’s degree in secondary education from Springfield College (MA), his M.Ed. in school counseling from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst and his C.A.G.S. in education leadership from American International College (MA). In addition to his counseling duties, he is an adjunct professor at Westfield State University and American International College, teaching both school counseling and college admission counseling courses for aspiring school counselors. He has published numerous articles and presented at over 80 national, regional, and state conferences and in 16 states addressing school counseling and college admission counseling topics. |
