The Newark Public Schools are continuing their drive to improve attendance rates one student at a time.

Schools Superintendent Cami Anderson led principals into the school year with a major goal: to get 100 percent attendance the first week.

So how’d they do? They haven’t released the latest attendance data, but Anderson says things are improving after a rocky start.

“We consider the entire first month an opportunity to set good habits.”

It’s a pretty lofty goal considering a third of Newark students attend school three days a week. Anderson says this year, schools partnered with alumni groups, churches and local businesses to reach out to families.

“A family should get outreach from the school, but also from their neighbors and friends both in terms of a phone call and ideally in a home visit.”

She says this new effort helps keep track of how many kids made it to the classroom and give them a little push to get there.