School officials say an initiative within the Rochester City School District's "Every Minute Matters" initiative is working.
The "Cold Can't Stop Us" campaign aims to get more students to attend classes, particularly though the cold weather months of February through April.
The mid-point results of the campaign are a success, according to Deputy Superintendent for teaching and learning for the district, Kendra March.
"In our 14 target schools, more than 3 thousand students are meeting the 97 percent attendance goal so far. Compared to last year, at the same time, we only had 1900 students," she said. "Students who attend school regularly do better. And they're excited about school, perform better, and learn responsibility, self discipline, and we all need that to create a positive workforce as they graduate high school, attend college and be career ready."
14 year old Kyasiah Miller attends 8th grade at Mary McCleod Bethune School 45 on Clifford Avenue.
She says she loves coming to school because she gets to be with her friends and learn new things every day.
She also supports the campaign.
"Basically we're just coming to school. The cold can't stop us, we're trying to learn," she said.
The campaign is getting a $30 thousand dollar grant from the ESL Charitable Foundation.
And The Strong is awarding family passes for kids in 14 targeted schools who meet the attendance goal.
Causeway Community Partners is coordinating the “Cold Can't Stop Us" campaign.
President and CEO Todd Butler says the outpouring of support for the initiative makes it clear that excellent attendance is a true community priority.
Here are students from school 45 singing about the campaign: