‘We’re here to help’: Baltimore City Public School staff hope phone bank will return absent students to class

A hum of soothing voices filled a conference room at Baltimore City Public School’s headquarters Sunday afternoon. The murmurs rose from six volunteers who cradled phones on their shoulders as they dialed number after number, trying to reach more than 1,300 families of students who have missed school this year. The Super Outreach Sunday phone bank is a push by district employees to get in touch with students who have 10 or more unexcused absences or have yet to attend school since it started four weeks ago Although Sunday’s phone bank is a first for the district, Baltimore City Public Schools use multiple methods to reach absent students daily.