By Camille White

OSD communications

To help tackle chronic absenteeism within the Oxford School District, Superintendent Bradley Roberson recently introduced a unique initiative designed to encourage student attendance.

Each month, one secondary student with perfect attendance will be awarded the opportunity to design a customizable pair of Nike Dunk shoes. Roberson and his wife, Nicole, are personally funding the custom shoes – emphasizing his dedication to student success and the importance of attendance.

October marked the debut of this initiative, with Megan Henry, a student at Oxford Intermediate School, receiving the first pair of personalized Nike Dunks.

According to the Mississippi Department of Education, Mississippi’s chronic absenteeism rate for the state during the 2023-2024 school year was 24.44%, which was an increase from the previous school year’s rate of 23.87%. Oxford School District’s chronic absenteeism rate for the 2023-2024 school year was 22.74%.

Along with Roberson’s initiative, each school within the District is also actively working to promote and reward good attendance habits at their local level.

Bramlett Elementary School awards one kindergarten student and one first-grade student with perfect attendance each quarter by gifting them a bicycle. Other elementary schools in the District have implemented similar programs, each designed to recognize students for their dedication in attending school.

According to the Mississippi Department of Education, “A student who misses 10% or more of their school days, which averages to just two days a month, for any reason, is considered chronically absent.”

Anyone interested in purchasing additional sets of custom Nike Dunks to award additional students each month can contact the district at news@oxfordsd.org.