The children’s attendance system at our organization required a major overhaul. The existing database software’s attendance module couldn’t account for all the variables necessary for accurately tracking each child’s presence on campus. We wanted to keep the attendance within our current database system, but reprogramming the module wasn’t an option. So, I started experimenting.

To set the stage, here’s how our attendance system worked. Attendance was taken twice every morning: first on the buses and then again on campus. The bus attendance provided a written record of children’s transportation to campus. Since around 90% of our children rode the bus, this was a critical checkpoint. The second attendance was taken upon arrival at their activity areas by separate staff members stationed on campus. These dual records allowed us to cross-reference each child’s attendance status.

This cross-referencing led to four possible scenarios:

1. On Bus and Present in Group – This was the ideal scenario, showing the child took their usual transportation and reached their activity area as planned.
2. Absent on Bus and in Group – If marked absent on both checks, it was safe to assume the child wasn’t on campus that day.
3. Absent on Bus, Present in Group – This discrepancy generally meant the child was dropped off directly by a parent or guardian. This was quickly verified by radioing the campus entry staff, who maintained their own entry logs.
4. On Bus but Absent in Group – This was a “code red” scenario. A child seen on the bus but not at their designated area could be anywhere—still on the bus, at the nurse’s office, or even wandering unsupervised. Identifying and addressing this scenario was the primary purpose of our attendance process.

The current attendance module, however, couldn’t automatically compare transportation and group attendance records. Recognizing the limitations, I devised a new system within our database using custom fields and web forms. I created a form for each day of our season, which the database system duplicated across every child’s record. This form included fields with dropdown menus to mark bus and group attendance statuses. Administration could fill out these forms daily, efficiently matching each child’s attendance with the help of advanced reporting tools.

After inputting the data, I developed saved reports that highlighted any discrepancies, especially those matching the third and fourth scenarios. This functionality provided clarity and allowed us to act quickly on attendance irregularities.

The new system was also adaptable. One instance of this flexibility was an emergency change related to early pickups. Although I can’t recall the exact incident that prompted this, I added a field to each form to document early pickups with a dropdown menu for choices and a space to log specific pickup times. Moving the early pickup process from handwritten notes to the database enhanced our communication with field staff and enabled detailed tracking and trend analysis.

With this centralized, digitized record, we started noticing pickup trends that informed our planning. For example:

• Fridays had the most early pickups, followed by Wednesdays.
• Tuesdays saw the highest absentee rate.
• Most early pickups occurred at 3:00 p.m., followed by 1:30 p.m., though some occurred as early as 10:00 a.m., with those children often returning around 1:00 p.m.

Analyzing these patterns allowed us to anticipate and prepare for these variations. For instance, if a child had consistently been picked up early on Fridays and we noticed an upcoming Friday without a designation, we could proactively contact the parent to confirm their plans.

The new attendance system not only met our needs but also provided valuable insights into our organization’s operations and family routines. This project exemplified how thoughtful data handling can transform processes, streamline communication, and reveal patterns that drive proactive solutions.