By now, everyone knows that showing up to school is important. While missing a few days here and there because of an illness, family emergency or other excusable absence is understandable, it may become a problem when one repeatedly misses school. A student’s academic performance can be affected when they miss too much school, causing them to fall behind.    

     According to Illinois Report Card, the official source for information about public schools in Illinois, Kaneland High School chronic absenteeism is at 18.2%, Kaneland Community Unit School District 302 chronic absenteeism is at 21.1% and the state of Illinois chronic absenteeism is at 29.8%. The data collected is from the year 2022, and chronic absenteeism was when a student missed more than 10% of school days with or without a valid excuse.

     When students miss too much school, negative results can be seen through low test scores or even failed classes. While showing up has always been important, what if doing well in school is about more than that?  

     For example, a student can wake up, head to school, not pay attention in class while counting the minutes until the final bell rings, go home, not study and then go to sleep. That student showed up, but so did the student who woke up, went to school, listened and took notes in class, went home, completed homework and then headed to bed.  

     Both students showed up, but only one put in the work and effort to make showing up worth it. While some may believe that all someone has to do is show up, it is what one accomplishes after one arrives that matters. Showing up means being present, but one must also be aware in school. 

     To do well in school, one has to pay attention in class, complete assignments on time, do the homework and be aware of what they are doing and how it can help them. Anyone can show up, but not everyone is willing to put in the effort to prove why showing up matters. 

     With finals coming up, it is crucial to remember that it is unlikely that a student will miraculously ace a final when they have not paid attention in class, completed any assignments throughout the semester or put in any effort to learn the material.   

     Students must both show up and put in effort in order to make going to school a worthwhile experience.