Riding for the Brand Contest Winner- Shayla Watts- Submission #3- "Traditional"
Shayla has won 2 tickets to the Kit Carson County PRCA Rodeo and The Kentucky Headhunters concert on August 1st. Congratulations Shayla! Thank you to all submissions, voters and supporters! Thank you to the Kit Carson County Commissioners for providing the rodeo and concert tickets.

Vacation Planner Update - There was a mistake on the Vacation Planner for Spring Break. The following link is updated with the correct dates.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1O50b7yFTzbfuWUQ9C0G1owaaFqmpITEF/view?usp=sharing

Dear Cougar Family,

As we look forward to another incredible year in the Burlington School District, we want to reaffirm our partnership with you in ensuring every Cougar reaches their full potential. A critical component of that success begins with a simple but powerful habit: consistent, daily school attendance. Every single day a student sits in our classrooms, they engage in collaborative learning, build essential social skills, and establish momentum that keeps them on track academically. When a student is absent, they miss out on direct teacher instruction and hands-on activities that simply cannot be replicated through make-up work alone.

The impact of missing school stretches far beyond a few missed assignments; national educational data reveals that chronic absenteeism - defined as missing just two days a month, or 10% of the school year - carries severe consequences. Historically, districts focused heavily on "truancy" (unexcused absences). However, modern educational research focuses on chronic absenteeism - defined as missing 10% or more of the school year (roughly 18 days in a standard calendar) for any reason, including excused illness, family vacations, or unexcused skips.

Statistically, students who are chronically absent in kindergarten and first grade are dramatically less likely to read proficiently by the end of third grade. The Third-Grade Reading Milestone: A substantial portion of chronic absence in early childhood is actually excused (often due to health or family logistical changes). Yet, regardless of the excuse, children who are chronically absent in kindergarten and first grade are only 17% as likely to read proficiently by the end of third grade compared to their peers with regular attendance. By the time students reach high school, attendance becomes the single strongest predictor of graduation rates; research shows that a student who is chronically absent for just one year between eighth and twelfth grade is seven times more likely to drop out of school.

To help you balance family time with your child’s academic needs, we have attached a District Vacation Planner and Parent Planner to this letter. Because Burlington operates on a 4-day school week calendar, our students already have most Fridays off. We highly encourage all families to try their best to schedule family trips, appointments, and vacations on these Fridays or during designated school breaks. Utilizing these built-in days off ensures your student doesn't fall behind, allowing our Cougars to maintain their classroom momentum while still enjoying meaningful time with family. Also, we love every Cougar and miss them dearly when they are not at school. Thank you for your continued dedication to your child's education!

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1O50b7yFTzbfuWUQ9C0G1owaaFqmpITEF/view?usp=sharing

26-27 Parent Planner

4 DAYS REMAIN TO VOTE!!! Riding for the Brand- Burlington High School- Final voting runs from July 13th through July 24th. The winning design will receive 2 free tickets to the Kit Carson County PRCA Rodeo and Concert on August 1st. Click (or copy and paste) the link below to select your top 3 designs. Only one voting response per person, please. Thank you for your participation! GO COUGARS!!!
Vote Here

https://forms.gle/6ckX4UU5TBHqRW2ZA