Revolutionizing School Attendance: The 6 Principles for Equitable Engagement

Outline

Presentation Outline: "Revolutionizing School Attendance: The 6 Principles for Equitable Engagement"

1. Introduction and Framing the Issue (10 minutes)
Content: Overview of chronic absenteeism, its impact on student outcomes, and the need for equitable engagement strategies. Introduction to the 6 Principles for Equitable Engagement.
Engagement: Open with a poll on participants' absenteeism challenges in their schools, using a live devicebased tool (e.g., Mentimeter or Kahoot).
Process: Participants share initial reflections on absenteeism in small groups (peertopeer interaction).

2. Principle 1: Setting the Stage (10 minutes)
Content: Strategies for creating welcoming, inclusive environments that promote consistent attendance.
Engagement: Audience brainstorms specific strategies for fostering a sense of belonging. Interactive chat discussion using digital collaboration tools (e.g., Padlet or Jamboard).
Process: Participants will post their ideas on fostering inclusion in their schools.

3. Principle 2: Empowering Leadership (10 minutes)
Content: Leadership strategies for supporting student engagement using simple technology tools.
Engagement: Case study analysis of a successful attendance initiative. Small group discussions on how they can implement similar strategies.
Process: Groups present their analysis and proposed strategies to the larger group.

4. Principle 3: Building a Restorative Community (10 minutes)
Content: Introduction to restorative practices and their application in attendance.
Engagement: Roleplay scenario where participants act out a restorative circle for absenteeism intervention.
Process: After the roleplay, participants debrief in pairs to discuss key insights.

5. Principle 4: Creating an Engaging Culture (10 minutes)
Content: How to make school culture relevant and engaging through realworld experiences.
Engagement: Participants reflect on their current school culture and complete a digital quiz on ways to enhance engagement.
Process: Share quiz results and engage in a wholegroup discussion on improvements.

6. Principle 5: Utilizing Data for Equity (10 minutes)
Content: Using data to design equitable interventions that meet students' diverse needs.
Engagement: Devicebased data analysis activity where participants interpret absenteeism data from sample schools and suggest interventions.
Process: Teams will share their findings and recommendations with the group.

7. Principle 6: Strengthening Family and Community Partnerships (10 minutes)
Content: Strategies for building strong family and community relationships to support attendance.
Engagement: Participants create an action plan for engaging families, using a provided template.
Process: Share action plans in pairs and receive peer feedback.

8. Conclusion and Q&A (10 minutes)
Content: Recap of the 6 Principles and final thoughts on revolutionizing attendance culture through equitable engagement.
Engagement: Open floor for questions and reflections. Encourage participants to share one key takeaway.
Process: Attendees will write their takeaway on a digital wall (e.g., Miro or Padlet).

Supporting research

1. Books:
Revolutionary School Culture: The 6 Principles of Unlocking Your School’s Hidden Treasure by Amen Rahh (Principal Rahh). This book outlines the foundational principles of engagement that this session is based on.

2. Articles:
Balfanz, Robert, et al. “The Importance of Being in School: A Report on Absenteeism in the Nation’s Public Schools.” Johns Hopkins University, 2012. This article discusses the impact of chronic absenteeism on student success.
“Chronic Absenteeism in the Nation’s Schools.” U.S. Department of Education, 2020. A comprehensive overview of chronic absenteeism and its effects on learning outcomes.

3. Websites:
Attendance Works (www.attendanceworks.org): A leading national organization that focuses on reducing chronic absenteeism through policy and practice, offering tools and research supporting equitable engagement strategies.
Edutopia (www.edutopia.org): Articles and resources on restorative practices and creating inclusive school cultures.

4. Recognized Experts:
Robert Balfanz, Researcher at Johns Hopkins University, known for his work on absenteeism and school engagement.
Hedy Chang, Director of Attendance Works, a nationally recognized expert on chronic absenteeism and attendance improvement.

These sources provide the research foundation for the session's emphasis on equitable engagement to combat chronic absenteeism.