Principal's Message
ECC Families -
Welcome to the 2023-2024 school year! The staff at the ECC are excited to start this educational journey with you and your student(s). I am beyond proud to be principal of Coal City Early Childhood Center. The 2023-2024 school year marks my 21st year in education, my 15th year in Coal City and my 6th year as principal of this amazing school! I hold a bachelor's degree in Special Education, a masters degree in Reading and a masters degree in Educational Leadership. I am a lifelong learner and am currently taking classes to become a behavior interventionist to better support the teachers and students in our building. It is my privilege to use my knowledge and lean on the amazing team of educators at the ECC to provide the very best first experience in Coal City District #1.
The relationship between home and school is vital to the academic and social success of your student. Communication is the most important way to build that connection. Please make sure to connect to the Class Dojo of your student’s teacher, download the Coal City school district app, and bookmark the ECC webpage (https://ccecc.coalcityschools.org/)! I most appreciate a phone call or email if you have questions or concerns! The information shared on social media is often untrue or partially true and causes unnecessary stress or anger. I am available by phone or email during school hours and I will be on the Class Dojo of every class. No question is “dumb” question, so please do not hesitate to ask!
I am looking forward to an amazing school year! I hope you share the same experience and your student(s) come home with special memories of the first school experience.
Yours in Education,
Amanda Davidson
(815) 634-5042 ext. 1303
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1. Absenteeism in the first month of school can predict poor attendance throughout the school year. Half the students who miss 2-4 days in September go on to miss nearly a month of school.
2. Chronic absence appears to have doubled by the end of the 2021-2022 school year. We estimate that it now affects nearly one out of three students.
3. Absenteeism and its ill effects start early.
4. Poor attendance can influence whether children read proficiently by the end of third grade or be held back.
5. By 6th grade, chronic absence becomes a leading indicator that a student will drop out of high school.
6. Research shows that missing 10% of the school, or about 18 days in most school districts, negatively affects a student's academic performance. That's just two days a month and that's known as chronic absence.
7. Students who live in communities with high levels of poverty are four times more likely to be chronically absent than others often for reasons beyond their control, such as unstable housing, unreliable transportation and lack of access to health care.
8. When students improve their attendance rates, they improve their academic prospects and chances for graduating.
9. Attendance improves when schools engage students and parents in positive ways and when schools provide mentors for chronically absent students.
10. Most school district and states don't look at all the right data to improve school attendance. They track how many students show up every day and how many are skipping school without an excuse, but not how many are missing so many days in excused and unexcused absence that they are headed off track academically.
Coal City School District sends attendance letters when a student misses 5 days, 9 days, 15 days, and 20 days. The attendance letters are a notification as to how many days your student has missed. A student is considered a "chronic truant" after 9 missed school days without a valid reason. The count does not include excused absences. If you have questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to the main office at (815) 634-5042.
Attendance Matters!
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