As part of the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, school districts nationwide have had to address increased barriers to regular student attendance. In North Carolina, the average daily attendance over the last three years is 92%. According to data from the N.C. Department of Public Instruction, HCPS ranks 17th in the state for its Average Daily Attendance and Average Daily Membership (ADM) ratios at 93.44%. 

To capitalize on National Attendance Awareness Month, HCPS partnered with Rhodes Branding to create a unique, multi-channel campaign to increase awareness and excitement about consistently showing up to school throughout the school year and maintain its tradition of high attendance rates. 

The campaign’s creative concept, tied to the district logo’s apple icon with a puzzle piece cut out, featured puzzle pieces that create various images of students in school. The district ultimately adapted the campaign’s slogan, “Every Piece Matters,” as its tagline for the remainder of the school year.

The campaign kicked off on September 1, through social media, email, and student announcements over school intercoms emphasizing the importance of every student’s presence in class and setting a positive tone for the year ahead. The messaging each week covered themes that addressed specific barriers to attendance and underlined the benefits of being present at school.

Key themes included:

• Transportation: Highlighting the accessibility of HCPS’ extensive bus routes and the dedication of bus drivers, reinforcing that transportation should not deter student attendance.

• Graduation Rates: Underscoring the link between regular attendance and academic success, aiming to reduce dropout rates.

• Physical Health: Focusing on promoting health awareness and preparedness to minimize absences due to illness.

• Future Job Placement: Tying regular attendance to future employability, emphasizing the acquisition of essential skills through the HCPS Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs.

By the end of the 2023-24 school year, HCPS has shown improvement by decreasing chronic absenteeism by 1.4%