They say the best ability is availability, and for our students at Moffat County schools, that’s as true as it
gets.

Our teachers can put together the perfect lesson plan, our support staff can ensure the perfect
environment, our technology team can prepare the devices to work perfectly, and our nutrition team can
make the best food. Our staff can be as prepared as possible, but without our students present, the lesson isn’t going to be learned.

There are so many ways for young people to learn, and far be it for us to suggest that being in school is
the only way. However, there is an awful lot of investment in our schools, and it’s for a really good
reason. Being in school and learning from educators is a powerful, important way kids prepare for life.

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There are lots of ways to get an education, but for students at Moffat County School District, that
starts with being in the classroom. Our wonderful teachers and teams do so much to prepare to
create an environment where your kids can learn, grow, thrive and prepare to succeed in life. Learning
doesn’t end in the classroom, but it often starts there. And it can’t do that if the student isn’t present.

Attendance talks can feel a little burdensome. We know there are lots of reasons a kid might truly need to remain home — particularly if they are sick— and we know that there are hurdles we can’t predict that make getting a kid to school a challenge for some parents and guardians. And, of course, we know sometimes kids would rather be anywhere but school (this is a bummer to us, but we were kids once, too).

But it’s worth it. It’s worth it for the social interaction with their classmates and friends. It’s worth it to get out of the comfort zone of home and into the world in a safe and nourishing way. It’s worth it to learn and work alongside our wonderful teachers and educators.

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So much goes into getting schools ready for your kids to learn inside them. It’s because we know how much good can come from that.

When a student misses class, they miss out on all of that. They miss a piece of learning that can’t necessarily be duplicated. While there is always another chance, the system is set up for the students to
be there, and when they are not, the system doesn’t work at that high level that we expect.

We know from experience the value of being present — not just at school, but in life. It’s so important to
be there, and kids need to learn that, too. Not much matters more than being present, and teaching
our young people that is as important as anything we’d teach them when they are.

So let’s work together to ensure that our kids show up. We do everything we can as a district to help, but we rely on you far more. You, in whose homes the children live, are the ones who are ultimately responsible for this vital key to an educated society. We need you, and we trust you.

Let’s get our kids in the room.