GENEVA, Ill. – When a student routinely misses school, the underlying cause is rarely a lack of caring. Transportation obstacles, family changes, housing instability, or severe anxiety after falling behind are often the true barriers keeping children out of the classroom.

In recognition of September’s national Attendance Awareness Month and its theme “Your Presence Matters,” the Kane County Regional Office of Education (ROE) has released a new spotlight feature examining how local specialists intervene before attendance issues turn into a crisis.

“Attendance is the earliest signal we get that a student needs something,” said John K. Jonak, Kane County Regional Superintendent of Schools. “When a child stops showing up, that isn’t a discipline problem — it’s information. Our job is to find out what’s in the way and help remove it.”

The spotlight marks the second episode of The ROE Link, a bi-weekly series connecting Kane County families and educators to local support networks. The feature highlights Superintendent Jonak alongside ROE youth outreach specialists, truancy intervention staff, and family counseling personnel who make home visits, build tailored support plans, and connect families with vital community resources. The full episode can be viewed at youtu.be/D9Vgj65fs6A.