Imagine yourself behind the wheel of a brand new Ford Focus.
That will be a reality for two students, one from Raytown High School and one from Raytown South High School. But the catch is, you have to have great attendance to get it.
Tuesday's welcome back pep rally was more exciting than usual when Superintendent Dr. Allan Markley drove in a Ford Focus.
It's the prize for a new program called "Attend to Win." Sophomore through senior students get a chance to win every month their attendance is 95 percent or better. There's the possibility to get seven chances before the drawing in April.
Markley said this could make a huge difference in a district where 70 percent of families deal with poverty.
"Our high school students’, for whatever reason, attendance is not as good as kids in grades kindergarten to grade 5. We want to create programs that make them not only come to learn and prosper and move on in their life," said Markley. "It's also an incentive that may help them get to that job or practice."
The ultimate goal is to get more kids in school more often.
Markley said the higher the attendance rate, the more state funding the district gets. He said if attendance goes up even 0.2 percent, they believe the cars will pay for themselves.
The state would like school districts to have an attendance rate of 90 percent met by 90 percent of students. Right now the Raytown district is just under that, sitting at 87 to 88 percent.
"We think it'll raise attendance," said Markley. He continued on and said there is no way to put a price on that.
The district also thanked Dick Smith Ford, who is a partner in this program.
------
Belinda Post can be reached at belinda.post@kshb.com.
