Addressing Absenteeism Through Policy

March 5, 2026
• The effectiveness of the credit system is being put to the test at Needham High School, with the hope of promoting improved attendance among all students.

At the Needham School Committee meeting on March 3, members listened to a presentation from Principal Aaron Sicotte and Vice Principal Mary Kay Alessi of the Needham High School as they provided a mid-year update on the attendance and course credit data trends of the student body.

This comes after the School Committee implemented a new policy for the 2025-2026 NHS student handbook requiring that students who have excessive absences in a course lose credit, although with the chance to make it up in the following term.

School Committee members continued to express concerns about the inequity of impact on some parts of the student population. Municipal Producer Melissa Marchese has the details.