An Open Letter to Our FCAHS Students, Parents and Community:  

Forrest County Agricultural High School has a long legacy of achieving great things.  We strive to be the best. Whether it be academics, arts, athletics, or alumni achievements, FCAHS takes pride in what we do. We like to be number one.  Unfortunately, our school is number one at something we aren’t proud of: absences.  FCAHS has the highest percentage of chronic absenteeism per student in the entire state.  Students, parents, stakeholders, we want to change this, and we need your help.  Not only is attendance tied to student achievement, but it is also tied to funding. In order to provide the best education possible, we need students to be here. Below are some ways we feel we can improve our attendance problem and have the BEST attendance in the state.

1. Students, know that your attendance matters because YOU matter!  We want you to succeed in life and do great things, so we need you here each and every day to learn and grow. Commit to coming to school every day.  

2. Parents, make appointments for your child for after school hours.  

3. Students, limit checkouts, but check in as early as possible and check out as late as possible. Check-ins and check-outs count as absences if students miss more than 37% of the day, which is a little more than 1 class period.

4. Parents, make sure your child has a reliable way to get to school.  Have a plan in place if your child misses his ride or the car breaks down.  

5. Students, take good care of yourself:  get a good night’s rest, exercise and eat well.  If you feel well, you’ll feel like tackling the day instead of staying home.

6. Students, get involved on campus.  Join a club or a team, and you’ll enjoy your time at FCAHS even more.

Please let us know if we can help your family in any way.  FCAHS is committed to every student that walks through our doors.  

Sincerely,

FCAHS Administration, Teachers, and Staff

“Improving lives, families, and communities--one Aggie at a time.”