Mayor Spano + Yonkers Public Schools Address Student Attendance Rates With Pledge 182 Campaign

In an effort to improve academic readiness, Yonkers Mayor Mike Spano and Yonkers Public Schools held an assembly at School 5 today and asked a cohort of Yonkers students in grades K-8 to participate in the Pledge 182 campaign, in which students commit to attend school every day and on time. 

“Education lays the foundation for our future, and every missed school day is a missed opportunity for growth,” said Mayor Spano. “In Yonkers, we remain deeply committed to nurturing the promise within every child. By prioritizing school attendance, we can ensure that every student has the support and opportunity to succeed.”

To increase the school’s attendance rate, School 5 Principal Dr. Jason Baez will implement monthly attendance awards, highlight students through social media shoutouts, encourage class versus class challenges, and showcase achievements on an “Attendance Wall of Fame.”

“Mayor Spano’s leadership in promoting daily attendance sends a powerful message to our students and families,”noted Superintendent of Schools Aníbal Soler, Jr. “Pledge 182 reminds us that every single school day counts. When students commit to showing up, they build the habits and consistency that lead to stronger academic outcomes, higher graduation rates, and brighter futures.”

Yonkers Public Schools prioritizes reducing chronic absenteeism, which is defined as missing 10% or more of the school year for any reason. Chronic absenteeism has significant negative effects on students and the broader community, including lower academic achievement, disrupted learning, reduced graduation rates, weakened peer relationships, lower self-esteem, and increased behavioral challenges. The goal of the Pledge 182 campaign is to re-engage families of chronically absent students through targeted outreach, encouragement, and recognition, ensuring that every child has the opportunity to succeed.

Mayor Spano challenged the students at School 5, urging them to sign the pledge and promised to return in June and give a pizza party to the students who achieve a perfect attendance during the 2025-2026 academic school year.