Working with schools is so awesome! I have a partner in a very rural part of Montana that I wanted to share an experience about.
They are doing something really simple. They stopped asking “why aren’t kids showing up?” and started asking “what would make showing up worth it?”
We helped them launch an attendance incentive program that rewards students with things they actually care about Jordans, Nike gift cards, Amazon gift cards, tangible rewards for students. And it’s working.
I know what some people think when they hear that. “You’re just bribing kids.” But watch this short video and you’ll see something different. You’ll see students who feel seen. Who feel like showing up matters because their leaders made it matter!
/watch?v=tDKJ2TF7o18
Whether you’re in downtown LA or NYC or as rural as you can get in Poplar Montana, chronic absenteeism is a real problem in schools across the country! We’re not going to fix it by adding more pressure. We fix it by building connection and making school a place worth coming to.
I’m so grateful for what the team at Poplar Middle is doing and proud that Knowlej gets to be part of it. Thanks to Principal Norgaard for sharing this awesome video your 7th grade students put together!
There have been many times in my life where I have to check if I am in the right room, whether it’s an unfamiliar building, a hotel, or even sometimes a Zoom room. Tonight I am honored to have been invited to join this panel of amazing leaders discussing Ujima (Collective Work and Responsibility) the third principle of Kwanzaa.
My work with Knowlej and OSG have become such foundational experiences in my life and this is yet another special experience for me to share this space with @drdst5 , @drjoegriffinspeaks , and Tracey Jones-Grant who embody Ujima. Come join us at 8:00 PM ET! /share/17ZU89Bk5G/?mibextid=wwXIfr
Thank you @marklmerrill for sharing about the positive impact that the @everythingisrightaboutyou series is making in your family 🙌 these are my absolute favorite kind of messages to receive 🥰🙌 what a blessing to be able to do this type of meaningful work
#education #wellness #neuroscience #school #personalgrowth #selfcare #confidence #everythingisrightaboutyou
One step at a time. Each one of us in this picture hiked differently and needed different support throughout. After a couple of obstacles and challenges we had to adjust the expectation about going to the summit and stopped at this beautiful lake just a couple of miles from the summit. This month is attendance awareness month across the country and I am so excited for our discussion this Monday with @reinventionlab team members Colleen Keating-Crawford and Izzy Fitzgerald. We will be discussing how to identify the needs of students and taking a deeper dive into their research around the profiles of student engagement and The New Absenteeism. Join us for this enlightening and inspiring conversation by registering with the link in the bio!
I have a big family. This year we have someone in college, high school, junior high, 2 in elementary and 1 in pre-school. It’s a lot. In prep for my big hike tomorrow (I will definitely have some thoughts to share after I complete it) I thought it would be fun to do a family hike together. Everyone started excited but reality set in on Turn 2 or 3. It was hard. It was tiring and a lot of work. And I don’t mean just for the kids. Every one of my kids had a different experience, but one hated it and was literally yelling at the mounting. Even though he was the one who struggled the most, he also was the one who experienced the most satisfaction at the top (and was first one up). You can see our experience in the pictures but check out the last one showing him reflecting on it all. Helping him get to the top was everything! School has started or is starting soon for everyone across the country. How many kids take extra work to get them to school and really engage? How many kids are like my son who fight you the whole way but experience the most powerful satisfaction when they realize what they’ve accomplished? Join me on Mondays with Mark this Monday at 10:00 AM PT/1:00 PM ET as we discuss the variety of types of kids climbing the attendance mountain this year! (Link to register in the bio)
I have been hiking a lot more this year than I have in several years. Recently I did a test hike for a much bigger one I am doing this weekend. It was harder than I expected! As we got close I was telling a friend about false summits and my experience hiking the tallest mountain I had ever hiked largely due to the false summit that had a much bigger mountain behind it.
Sometimes we see the false summit in front of us without realizing the bigger challenge is actually not the one we’re looking at. This coming Monday on Mondays with Mark I am privileged to be interviewing an incredible person who helped identify some “false summits” in chronic absenteeism. She and her team identified the new profiles of students making up our chronic absenteeism problems across the country! Come join us for a great discussion and learn more about the bigger reasons behind chronic absenteeism she termed “the new chronic absenteeism.” (Link to register is in the bio)
Today is the day! Join us for a great conversation with my two incredible guests Malika Elwin and Keri Cerio! They will be talking about chronic absenteeism and how to work with families in crisis with compassion and empathy! (Link in Bio and stories).
Join me in just over 2 hours for a great conversation with my two incredible guests Malika Elwin and Keri Cerio! They will be talking about chronic absenteeism and how to work with families in crisis with compassion and empathy!
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/sIljA889Qy-KFjblAoYGCg#/registration
Families are a major part of solving this chronic absenteeism crisis! Come join me on Monday’s with Mark this coming Monday at 10:00 AM PT/1:00 PM ET to hear from 2 incredible advocates working with families across the countries biggest school system in the NYC DOE. They are going to be sharing some great insights that will help no matter where you are in the country! (Link in Bio)
I am so excited for this conversation next Monday Aug 11 at 1:00 PM ET with two incredible advocates who work in the New York City Department of Education with some of the most complex situations you can have around attendance and chronic absenteeism. You won’t want to miss this! (Link in Bio to register)
