Simply being at school leads to better student performance and education.
At least that's the case in Elmore County and Tallassee schools where administrators and teachers have been working for the last few years to battle chronic absenteeism and truancy. Elmore County and Tallassee City schools have seen more than 20% of students classified as chronically absent meaning they had missed 18 school days or more. That is 10% of the school year. Elmore County Schools superintendent Richard Dennis likens it to adults missing parts of a movie.

PHOTOS: Southside Middle School celebrates attendance
- Cliff Williams 334-740-1116CliffWilliams cliff.williams@alexcityoutlook.com https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/12c752a46558fcb7bf6d4731caf3d833?s=200&d=mm&r=g
Cliff Williams / TPI Students at Southside Middle School were treated to a day on gaming consoles because of better attendance.

PHOTOS: Southside Middle School celebrates attendance
- Cliff Williams 334-740-1116CliffWilliams cliff.williams@alexcityoutlook.com https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/12c752a46558fcb7bf6d4731caf3d833?s=200&d=mm&r=g
Cliff Williams / TPI Students at Southside Middle School were treated to a day on gaming consoles because of better attendance.

PHOTOS: Southside Middle School celebrates attendance
- Cliff Williams 334-740-1116CliffWilliams cliff.williams@alexcityoutlook.com https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/12c752a46558fcb7bf6d4731caf3d833?s=200&d=mm&r=g
Cliff Williams / TPI Students at Southside Middle School were treated to a day on gaming consoles because of better attendance.

PHOTOS: Southside Middle School celebrates attendance
- Cliff Williams 334-740-1116CliffWilliams cliff.williams@alexcityoutlook.com https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/12c752a46558fcb7bf6d4731caf3d833?s=200&d=mm&r=g
Cliff Williams / TPI Students at Southside Middle School were treated to a day on gaming consoles because of better attendance.

PHOTOS: Southside Middle School celebrates attendance
- Cliff Williams 334-740-1116CliffWilliams cliff.williams@alexcityoutlook.com https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/12c752a46558fcb7bf6d4731caf3d833?s=200&d=mm&r=g
Cliff Williams / TPI Students at Southside Middle School were treated to a day on gaming consoles because of better attendance.

PHOTOS: Southside Middle School celebrates attendance
- Cliff Williams 334-740-1116CliffWilliams cliff.williams@alexcityoutlook.com https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/12c752a46558fcb7bf6d4731caf3d833?s=200&d=mm&r=g
Cliff Williams / TPI Students at Southside Middle School were treated to a day on gaming consoles because of better attendance.

PHOTOS: Southside Middle School celebrates attendance
- Cliff Williams 334-740-1116CliffWilliams cliff.williams@alexcityoutlook.com https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/12c752a46558fcb7bf6d4731caf3d833?s=200&d=mm&r=g
Cliff Williams / TPI Students at Southside Middle School were treated to a day on gaming consoles because of better attendance.

PHOTOS: Southside Middle School celebrates attendance
- Cliff Williams 334-740-1116CliffWilliams cliff.williams@alexcityoutlook.com https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/12c752a46558fcb7bf6d4731caf3d833?s=200&d=mm&r=g
Cliff Williams / TPI Students at Southside Middle School were treated to a day on gaming consoles because of better attendance.

PHOTOS: Southside Middle School celebrates attendance
- Cliff Williams 334-740-1116CliffWilliams cliff.williams@alexcityoutlook.com https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/12c752a46558fcb7bf6d4731caf3d833?s=200&d=mm&r=g
Cliff Williams / TPI Students at Southside Middle School were treated to a day on gaming consoles because of better attendance.
PHOTOS: Southside Middle School celebrates attendance
PHOTOS: Southside Middle School celebrates attendance
- Cliff Williams 334-740-1116CliffWilliams cliff.williams@alexcityoutlook.com https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/12c752a46558fcb7bf6d4731caf3d833?s=200&d=mm&r=g
Cliff Williams / TPI Students at Southside Middle School were treated to a day on gaming consoles because of better attendance.
PHOTOS: Southside Middle School celebrates attendance
- Cliff Williams 334-740-1116CliffWilliams cliff.williams@alexcityoutlook.com https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/12c752a46558fcb7bf6d4731caf3d833?s=200&d=mm&r=g
Cliff Williams / TPI Students at Southside Middle School were treated to a day on gaming consoles because of better attendance.
PHOTOS: Southside Middle School celebrates attendance
- Cliff Williams 334-740-1116CliffWilliams cliff.williams@alexcityoutlook.com https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/12c752a46558fcb7bf6d4731caf3d833?s=200&d=mm&r=g
Cliff Williams / TPI Students at Southside Middle School were treated to a day on gaming consoles because of better attendance.
PHOTOS: Southside Middle School celebrates attendance
- Cliff Williams 334-740-1116CliffWilliams cliff.williams@alexcityoutlook.com https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/12c752a46558fcb7bf6d4731caf3d833?s=200&d=mm&r=g
Cliff Williams / TPI Students at Southside Middle School were treated to a day on gaming consoles because of better attendance.
PHOTOS: Southside Middle School celebrates attendance
- Cliff Williams 334-740-1116CliffWilliams cliff.williams@alexcityoutlook.com https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/12c752a46558fcb7bf6d4731caf3d833?s=200&d=mm&r=g
Cliff Williams / TPI Students at Southside Middle School were treated to a day on gaming consoles because of better attendance.
PHOTOS: Southside Middle School celebrates attendance
- Cliff Williams 334-740-1116CliffWilliams cliff.williams@alexcityoutlook.com https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/12c752a46558fcb7bf6d4731caf3d833?s=200&d=mm&r=g
Cliff Williams / TPI Students at Southside Middle School were treated to a day on gaming consoles because of better attendance.
PHOTOS: Southside Middle School celebrates attendance
- Cliff Williams 334-740-1116CliffWilliams cliff.williams@alexcityoutlook.com https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/12c752a46558fcb7bf6d4731caf3d833?s=200&d=mm&r=g
Cliff Williams / TPI Students at Southside Middle School were treated to a day on gaming consoles because of better attendance.
PHOTOS: Southside Middle School celebrates attendance
- Cliff Williams 334-740-1116CliffWilliams cliff.williams@alexcityoutlook.com https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/12c752a46558fcb7bf6d4731caf3d833?s=200&d=mm&r=g
Cliff Williams / TPI Students at Southside Middle School were treated to a day on gaming consoles because of better attendance.
PHOTOS: Southside Middle School celebrates attendance
- Cliff Williams 334-740-1116CliffWilliams cliff.williams@alexcityoutlook.com https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/12c752a46558fcb7bf6d4731caf3d833?s=200&d=mm&r=g
Cliff Williams / TPI Students at Southside Middle School were treated to a day on gaming consoles because of better attendance.
Cliff Williams / TPI Elmore County District Court Judge Ben Baxley, right, speaks about how the juvenile courts have been used to improve truancy in the county.
Cliff Williams 334-740-1116Cliff Williams
Cliff Williams / TPI Southside Middle School principal Brittany Spencer said her school used incentives to improve attendance at the school. She said a school of just over 400 students went from 121 students missing 18 or more days of school two years ago to 50 to just 19 this year.
Cliff Williams 334-740-1116Cliff Williams
Cliff Williams District attorney C.J. Robinson said he sees a direct correlation between students who succeed in high school or don’t and their involvement in crime.
Cliff Williams 334-740-1116Cliff Williams



