by Jordan Costolo ’25

Chronic absenteeism has been a problem in schools ever since the return from virtual learning. This can be seen not only in Sherwood but also around the rest of the country. Across the United States, there are students not showing up for days or even weeks at a time. In the 2022-23 school year, studies show that 26 percent of U.S. students were chronically absent, with this statistic barely improving now even four years after the Covid pandemic first began. Is this because they aren’t interested in doing well in class, or because they lack respect for their teachers? Usually not. What many students are being affected by is a mass-scale mental health crisis.

  Most of the students that are skipping school at frequent rates are doing so because of problems going on in either their social or home lives, making coming to school and sitting through class an extra challenge. One of the actions that could be done to help the number of absences decrease is to approach the issue without disciplinary action or judgment. Instead school staff should offer understanding, with guidance on how to help the students as they go through tough issues and challenges. This will help absent students not fall far behind, as well as assure them of a more welcoming environment when they return to school.