Districts across Wisconsin saw students struggle with regular attendance in the years after transitioning back from virtual learning during the pandemic.

There’s a plethora of reasons why a student may miss school, but mental health has increasingly become a barrier to students showing up each day.

Almost half of high schoolers in the Appleton Area School District were chronically absent meaning they missed at least 10% of school — about 18 days — in the 2021-22 school year. That number improved significantly last year, but the district said attendance is still a priority.

For the 2021-22 school year, almost 23% — roughly a quarter — of all students statewide were chronically absent, according to the most current data from the state Department of Public Instruction.

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That’s higher than the 13% of students who were chronically absent before the pandemic in the 2018-19 school year.

USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin asked experts for tips to start the coming school year with strong attendance and maintain it throughout. They had variety of suggestions, including creating regular routines and coping with mental health.

Here’s what they told us.

More: Appleton students are still struggling with attendance. Mental health is a main reason, but not the only one

Start preparing before the first day of school: Map out a schedule for before and after school

The Truancy Reduction and Assessment Center team at the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Fox Valley suggests planning what mornings and nights should look like during the school year.

Pick a consistent time to wake up and go to bed each day. Budget time for breakfast, showering and brushing teeth.

Start following the plan before school starts. That way, students will be used to waking up early before the hustle of school sets in.

Consistency and routine are key to working through stressful transitions, such as starting school, said Shanna Sullivan, a licensed clinical social worker and registered play therapist with Children’s Wisconsin.

Tee up transportation plans

Transportation can be another barrier, so be sure to leave enough time for walking to school or a bus stop.

Come up with back-up plans for getting to school, in case of car troubles or an adult getting sick. If needed, look up the closest bus route. For example, find Valley Transit stops here.

Understand that anxiety over going to school is common

Establish that it’s common for kids to have anxiety about going to school, Sullivan said.

It’s important for parents to check in with their children about what makes them anxious about school. Rather than assuming what triggers their anxiety, caregivers could ask children one thing they love and one thing they don’t love about school to learn their stressors.

It can also help to have conversations with the teacher, Sullivan said. Ask them what they notice about the child’s behavior.

While anxiety is common, Sullivan said there are early warning signs for larger mental health concerns. If students start to have problems with friends, behavior issues or their grades start slipping, there could be larger concerns at play.

Build connections to soothe anxiety

Relationships are important to help children feel comfortable, said Hedy Chang, executive director of Attendance Works. An easy first step is making sure students feel connected to the teacher and other students in their building.

Attending open houses or other opportunities to meet the teacher before school starts can help foster that connection. Meeting other students who will be in their classroom can also be helpful. Then the first day won't be so full of new faces.

More: 5 steps parents can do to set their kindergartner up for success

‘Make it not so new’

Similarly, Chang suggested taking a tour of the school and exploring the new classroom, if possible.

“Make it not so new the first day,” she said.

You can spread it over the days and weeks leading up to school, too, to help build that familiarity. That could help curb any first-day anxiety.

Attendance Works also has multiple resource pages that families can print out to prepare elementary and secondary students for strong attendance.

Once school starts: Pack up before bed each night to save time in the morning

Don’t wait until the morning to prepare backpacks, the TRAC team recommends. Pack up textbooks, notebooks and other supplies the night before to prevent a morning scramble to remember it all.

Some students may want to take it even a step further and pick out their outfit the night before.

Mornings can be busy, so preparing the night before creates space and time for students to connect with their caregivers — something Sullivan said students need each day.

That connection could be as simple as asking a student how they're doing or what they’re looking forward to that day.

Rest your brain each night so it can be at its best

School is a good kind of stress that helps kids grow and develop, Sullivan said. Getting plenty of rest helps students prepare to face that.

“Having that rest time for your brain and body is important so you can reset and come at the school day at your best,” Sullivan said.

People may use electronic devices to settle down before bed, but Sullivan said they could have the opposite effort. Expectations for limiting screen time at night can set students up for better sleep.

Stay healthy to stay at school

It’s a myth that only unexcused absences are causes for concern, Chang said. Health-related absences may be marked as excused, but she said there are steps families can take to try to limit those.

Colds and illnesses happen, and students should stay home if they are ill, but there are steps such as getting enough sleep and eating healthy that can keep sickness at bay. It's also important to keep up with dental care and other health screenings, as well as hygiene such as showering, brushing teeth and regularly washing hands.

In severe cases, a dip in attendance can be a warning sign for suicide

Significant mental health issues can get in the way of a student’s ability to learn, Sullivan said. And it's important to think about suicide in any conversation around mental health.

A dip in attendance can be a warning sign that a student is thinking about suicide, she said.

For students who are struggling, Sullivan said adults should ask them directly if that’s something they are thinking about. She said it’s a myth that asking them about suicide will give them ideas.

“Kids do want to be asked,” she said.

If you or someone you know is dealing with suicidal thoughts, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988 or text "Hopeline" to the National Crisis Text Line at 741-741.

More: Back to school shopping in the Fox Valley. How much can it cost families?

Reach AnnMarie Hilton at ahilton@gannett.com or 920-370-8045. Follow her on Twitter at @hilton_annmarie.

This article originally appeared on Appleton Post-Crescent: Ways to improve attendance for Wisconsin students this school year