BALTIMORE – Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott is looking to tackle chronic absenteeism and tardiness by launching a friendly competition between schools.
Scott and Baltimore City Public Schools CEO Dr. Sonja Santelises visited schools across the city Monday morning as the first day of the school year got underway.
On a stop at Booker T. Washington Middle School, the mayor challenged students to miss less class announcing the inaugural “Mayor’s Attendance Challenge.”
“I hope to play a small part in the larger work that city schools is doing to improve attendance and decrease chronic absenteeism,” he said.
The middle school in Druid Hill was picked as the starting point for the challenge because it was the school with the most improved attendance rate last year. As such, it became the first school to be awarded the Mayor’s Attendance Cup – a shiny golden trophy.
“Every quarter, I will hand deliver an official trophy and certificate to the school with the most improvement in their attendance,” the mayor said. “And at the end of the year, I will join a special celebration for the school that experienced the most growth in their attendance throughout the whole school year.”
