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Supporting stakeholders in K-12 education in understanding and addressing chronic absence in their communities. 

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In collaboration with the National Partnership for Student Success (NPSS) Support Hub at the Johns Hopkins University Everyone Graduates Center, Project Unicorn, 1EdTech, the Ed-Fi Alliance, and the Common Educational Data Standards are working to support stakeholders in K-12 education in understand

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Using Chronic Absence Data to Improve Conditions for Learning

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Using Chronic Absence Data to Improve Conditions for Learning

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Collects computer equipment from state and federal sources, and private donations to distribute at no cost to Montana's K-12 public schools.

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The Program Basics:

Equipment that will be accepted includes desktops, laptops, and tablets that are windows 11 compatible and in good working order as well as chromebooks that will accept the current version of ChromeOS. Printers and scanners that are not at end of life from the manufacturer. All technology donations will be evaluated so please don't hesitate to ask what we will accept.

Schools are responsible for traveling to Clancy to retrieve equipment and must have an appointment.

Equipment cannot be reserved as space in the storage facility is limited.

The inventory of surplus equipment varies from day to day

The program maintains a waiting list of schools interested in equipment and schools are contacted about their eligibility, usually via email.

Contact the Computer Resource Program to seek information, put your school's name on the waiting list, or to check the availability of equipment. Please provide the following info in your email: name, school district, school and phone number.

The OPI has distributed 34,561 computers and 21,678 other pieces of IT equipment since the inception of the program.

Located at 9 Microwave Hill Rd, Unit A, Clancy, MT 59634

An appointment is necessary and meetings outside of normal business hours may be possible upon request.

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Surplus Computers and School Discounts. The program collects computer equipment from state and federal sources, and private donations to distribute at no cost to Montana's K-12 public schools. The equipment is stored in Helena and is operational, but all data (including operating systems) is removed for security purposes.

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Factors Contributing to Chronic Absence in Your School

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Factors Contributing to Chronic Absence in Your School

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MTDA is specifically designed to provide unique online educational opportunities to Montana students and schools. MTDA puts no limits on learning. Students can access their classes whenever and wherever they want, eliminating schedule conflicts, and expanding academic options, while helping many students to graduate on time.

Created in 2009 by the Montana Legislature, MTDA is defined as the state online program for Montana. MTDA helps support instruction in partnership with public schools across the state. Unlike other online school programs in the country, MTDA exclusively uses Montana public school teachers for every course. We believe that supplemental distance education makes sense when students are taught by their state's educators and remain in their community schools.

While our online program provides classes to all Montana students and schools, support for rural schools is a high priority. Our extensive course catalog helps rural schools to greatly expand their offerings to students. Providing access to Advanced Placement® and specialized elective courses offers additional opportunities and ensures educational equity across our state.

We offer courses during the fall and spring semesters and also provide a summer school term. Private and home schooled students can enroll in MTDA classes through their local public school.

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MTDA is specifically designed to provide unique online educational opportunities to Montana students and schools. MTDA puts no limits on learning. Students can access their classes whenever and wherever they want, eliminating schedule conflicts, and expanding academic options, while helping many students to graduate on time.

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International Network for School Attendance (INSA)

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International Network for School Attendance (INSA)

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Join INSA, the global network improving school attendance by connecting experts, sharing resources, and promoting innovative solutions to reduce absenteeism.

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The Impact of Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) on Student Attendance and Behavior

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The Impact of Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) on Student Attendance and Behavior

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National Partnership for Student Success (NPSS) The OPI School Improvement Team attends these sessions. 

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The Attendance Solutions Network provides districts access to a range of supports through a series of engagement events designed to address chronic absence and improve student engagement in their communities. It's not too late to join the Network.

The NPSS Hub is looking forward to kicking off the next phase of the Network-a peer-to-peer learning community! Through these sessions-as well as continued webinar opportunities-this opportunity will foster a sense of community and collective learning, making each district representative an integral part of the network's progress.

For additional resources, we encourage you to also There is no cost to join the Attendance Solutions Network. take a look at our Digital Backpack. Register today and join us October 22nd, 3:00-4:30 pm ET!

Peer-to-Peer Learning Community Fall Virtual Convenings: September 17th, October 22nd, November 12th.

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Attendance Solutions Network | The National Partnership for Student Success

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The Attendance Solutions Network provides districts access to a range of supports through a series of engagement events designed to address chronic absence and improve student engagement in their communities. It's not too late to join the Network. The NPSS Hub is looking forward to kicking off the next phase of the Network-a peer-to-peer learning community!

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Finding and Using Evidence-Based MTSS Interventions: A How-To Guide

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Finding and Using Evidence-Based MTSS Interventions: A How-To Guide

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Answering Your Questions on Chronic Absenteeism

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Answering Your Questions on Chronic Absenteeism

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In the recent ASCD webinar Addressing Chronic Absenteeism: What Works , attendees posed a diverse range of questions for panelists Shadae Harris, Hedy Chang, and Luis Torres. Because we couldn't get to all of them during the live event, Harris, a school engagement expert, and Chang, executive director of Attendance Works, kindly agreed to participate in a "lightning round" Q&A session. Here, they dive into some of the critical questions that went unanswered.

What role does restorative justice and restorative practices play in supporting attendance? Can they help to repair misunderstandings to promote a sense of belonging?

Shadae Harris: Restorative justice is fundamentally about repairing harm and fostering a sense of community and belonging. In the context of supporting attendance, it involves acknowledging the harm that has been done to families and approaching them with grace and a strong desire to unearth root causes that may be impacting attendance. By addressing these root causes through empathetic dialogue and restorative practices, schools can rebuild trust and create an environment where students feel understood and supported. This approach helps to mend relationships, resolve conflicts, and address misunderstandings that may contribute to absenteeism. By promoting a sense of belonging and mutual respect, restorative justice practices can encourage consistent attendance and deeper engagement in the school community.

How do we change the narrative in our community that coming to school is important?

Hedy Chang: As a result of the increased access to online learning materials and pervasive use of virtual learning, families and students may not recognize that, for most students, in-person learning is still essential. Attendance Works has developed the Showing Up Matters for R.E.A.L. toolkit to help communicate why showing up to school in-person matters. Embedded in a whole child perspective, it explains that showing up matters for a student's well-being because it is an opportunity to:

1. Build R outines: Daily attendance routines reduce stress for students and families and create a sense of safety and security.

2. Increase E ngagement: Being in school helps students get to know peers, teachers, and school staff and create trusting relationships that motivate them to participate in learning.

3. Provide A ccess to Resources: Schools help students and families gain access to basic resources such as meals, physical and mental health services, and fun enrichment activities including sports, clubs, music, etc.

4. Support L earning: Learning is most meaningful when it is active, social, and allows students to apply concepts to real-life situations. Showing up to school regularly helps students engage in learning that builds proficiency in reading and math that will help them to graduate from high school.

Can you give specific recommendations for schools that don't have access to the resources that many urban schools do? My school is in a small rural town and has seen huge increases in absenteeism since the pandemic.

Shadae Harris: Addressing absenteeism in resource-limited rural schools requires a strategic approach that prioritizes existing resources and aligns them effectively. It's not always about having more funding but about setting clear priorities. Schools can leverage community partnerships, such as local businesses, nonprofits, and healthcare providers, to offer support services and resources for students and families. Additionally, using volunteers and training staff in multi-role capacities can maximize the impact of available personnel. Schools should also consider reallocating existing funds toward initiatives that directly address absenteeism, such as mentorship programs, family engagement activities, and transportation solutions. By thinking creatively and prioritizing attendance, even schools with limited resources can make significant strides in reducing absenteeism.

Hedy Chang: While rural schools do not have the same access to community partners such as nonprofits and public agencies like their urban counterparts do, many benefit from the fact that school staff live in the community, are more likely to know students and their families on a personal level, and often personally know the other people, like school nurses or staff from agencies, who can offer other supports. School staff can make a huge difference because they are more likely to notice and offer support when students are absent. School staff can also actively build a culture of attendance. Consider this about a district in rural Livingston, California, that has leveraged the power of relationships, attendance data, and access to health services to ensure students, especially kindergartners, are showing up to school every day. Another inspiring example is found in rural Johnstown in upstate New York. Featured during the White House Every Day Counts Summit , Johnstown used attendance teams and Tier 1 strategies along with success mentors (caring adults who connected with chronically absent students multiple times a week) to significantly reduce its chronic absenteeism rates.

Our attendance has been poorest with our early childhood students. Do you have any specific strategies that have helped improve attendance with our youngest learners?

Hedy Chang: As the Attendance Works toolkit, , shows, improving attendance can and should begin in the preschool years. It starts with sharing that developing a habit of attendance is a key component of school readiness. It involves helping families learn about how many absences are too many, encouraging families to bring their children to school every day, even when it is hard, and engaging students once they are in the classroom. It can also include getting families assistance to solve a significant barrier to getting their young children to school, such as a transportation challenge or lack of access to healthcare. Early childhood programs can also use a multitiered system of intervention to make addressing chronic absence more manageable and nurture a culture of attendance.

If we are trying to avoid a "punitive" approach, how do we keep students and families accountable?

Shadae Harris: To shift from a punitive approach to one based on partnership, it is essential to prioritize relationships and foster collaborative efforts between schools and families. In a partnership, both parties identify needs and work together to address challenges. Schools should create initiatives centered on families, focusing on building mutual trust and accountability. Regular, open communication is key, where schools listen to the concerns of families and involve them in decision-making processes. Recognizing and celebrating positive attendance can reinforce the partnership and encourage continued collaboration. By showing families that the school is a supportive ally, rather than an enforcer, schools can create a culture of mutual respect and shared responsibility, leading to improved attendance and engagement.

Hedy Chang: Daily attendance in school is a matter of shared responsibility. Schools need to ensure learning is engaging and relevant, inform families when absences are becoming problematic, and offer access to resources to help overcome barriers to attendance. Schools and community partners can help hold students and families accountable by ensuring they understand how absences negatively impact their goals, whether it's learning to read, developing crucial math skills, graduating from high school, or getting a job.

Such actions help families recognize why showing up matters as well as reflect upon the critical role they play in this partnership. Schools can promote parent engagement in attendance by respectfully partnering with families to ensure they understand what students gain by attending and what they miss by being absent, sharing how their actions make a difference through resources like , and engaging in joint problem-solving. Community partners, including local agencies, nonprofits, businesses, faith-based organizations, and volunteer groups can support schools and families in all these efforts.

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Answering Your Questions On Chronic Absenteeism

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"If we are trying to avoid a 'punitive' approach" to chronic absenteeism, "how do we keep students and families accountable?" Attendance experts shed light on this question and more.

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Missoula School District Group Explores New Ways to Improve Attendance

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Missoula School District Group Explores New Ways to Improve Attendance

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Missoula school district group explores new ways to improve attendance

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Last year, 34% of students had more than 15 unexcused absences.

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Reducing Chronic Absenteeism Under the Every Student Succeeds Act

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Reducing Chronic Absenteeism Under the Every Student Succeeds Act

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Lessons for Broadening School Accountability Under the Every Student Succeeds Act

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Lessons for Broadening School Accountability Under the Every Student Succeeds Act

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Subscription-Based, Online resources: Teacher tools subscription (attendance, student picker, group maker, rotation timer, and more), classroom management, Educational review games subscription (use games from the library or create your own, includes seasonal theme choices). Tammy purchased both subscriptions to use in the classroom. Students were engaged and motivated to learn using the educational review games and the tools made managing classroom needs so easy!

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Pink Cat Studio – Fun Educational Games and Activities

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Make learning fun with engaging review games and activities for the classroom. Stay organized with classroom management tools for attendance and more.

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Enter student names to generate a random student name picker.

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Enter names, spin wheel to pick a random winner. Customize look and feel, save and share wheels.

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FREE name generators, timers, and tools 

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Welcome to our fantastic collection of random name pickers, list pickers, winner pickers, and more!

These visual name pickers feature sounds, and they are all free to use :-)

Got an idea for another Random Name Picker? Or Number Generator? Let us know! :-)

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A massive collection of Random Name Pickers, Random Number Generators - and More! Choose a random Selection of Names, Numbers, Lists and More!

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FREE student name selector, classroom management, and more. 

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ClassDojo helps teachers, parents, and students build amazing classroom communities.

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Classroom organization helps create a predictable work environment so students can feel comfortable and ready to start learning in a well-organized place to learn. 

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Random Acts of Kindness Foundation (for educators) 

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Random Acts of Kindness Foundation (for educators) 

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FREE K-8 kindness curriculum and resources

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237,408 educators have signed up on our website so far to download lesson plans and other kindness resources. Thank you!

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Our lessons have been downloaded more than 1 million times since we introduced them in 2006.

Our lesson plans have been downloaded from 195 countries and have been translated into 12 different languages.

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Our lessons have been downloaded from educators from over 35,000 schools & school districts.

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FREE K-8 Kindness in the Classroom® Curriculum

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Download our NEW K-8 Kindness in the Classroom® lesson plans today!

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From the Random Acts of Kindness Foundation

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Child Nutrition - Montana Food Bank Network

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Hunger happens everywhere—in our largest cities and in our smallest towns. 1 in 6 children in Montana live in a food-insecure household, equating to

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Our BackPack Program's mission is to meet the needs of children experiencing hunger on weekends and school vacations when other resources and school meals are not available.

Updated September 2023

The BackPack Program provides child-friendly, non-perishable food that can be easily prepared at home. BackPack bags are discreetly distributed to children before weekends or holidays to ensure they will have enough to eat. Every BackPack bag contains shelf-stable milk and enough food for a child to enjoy breakfast and lunch, including a vegetable cup and a fruit cup, for their weekend away from school.
MFBN partnered with 148 schools and provided weekend nutrition for 3,600 children throughout the 2022 school year.
For more information about the BackPack Program, contact: [email protected]

Help provide more BackPack meals!

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BackPack Program - Montana Food Bank Network

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1 in 5 Montana children is currently at risk of food insecurity. When school is out, the BackPack Program provides food for kids for the weekend or holiday breaks.

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Connecting students, staff & parents to basic needs and community resources

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Circle Forward: Building a Restorative School Community

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Circle Forward: Building a Restorative School Community

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To reduce chronic school absences, this video focuses on positive family support. 

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To reduce chronic school absences, Cleveland focuses on positive family support

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Parents want their children to do well in school but many don't fully understand the connection between chronic absence and a student's academic achievement. Hand out these flyers to help build the habit of attendance!

Health-related absences can often be avoided. Go to our Health Handouts page t o download flyers on Anxiety and When to Send a Student to School with a minor illness, or after being sick.

We are regularly updating these handouts to respond to changes and we are open to feedback. Please look at the date on the handout so you know you have the most up-to-date version (October or November, 2021). Make sure to communicate clearly with your families about health policies, including any related to Covid-19. Check out our blog post to learn more.
Download many of these handouts translated into Spanish, Chinese, Tagalog and Vietnamese.

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Handouts for Families - Attendance Works

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Parents want their children to do well in school but many don't fully understand the connection between chronic absence and a student's academic achievement. Hand out these flyers to help build the habit of attendance! Health-related absences can often be avoided.

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Family and Family Organizations Resources

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Family and Family Organizations Resources

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Please download these tools and use them in your community. If you would like to add your logo or adapt them in other ways, please contact us at info@attendanceworks.org.

Tips for Good Attendance
We have developed tip sheets in several languages for parents of children in preschool, elementary and secondary school.

Download the Parent Handouts.
Tips for Good Attendance with Policy Advice
We have also created the Parent Handout as a two-page version with policy tips on the back page. Download the Parent Handouts with Policy Tips.

The Student Attendance Success Plan is designed to help parents of students in preschool and elementary school track their children's attendance and work with teachers to set appropriate goals. The success plan for secondary school helps students track their own attendance and goals. They are based on materials created by Early Works at Earl Boyles Elementary School in Portland, Oregon.

Download the Student Attendance Success Plan work sheet and Facilitor's Guide found on the Student Attendance Success Plan page.

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Families and Family Organizations - Attendance Works

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Please download these tools and use them in your community. If you would like to add your logo or adapt them in other ways, please contact us at info@attendanceworks.org. Tips for Good Attendance We have developed tip sheets in several languages for parents of children in preschool, elementary and secondary school.

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A Toolkit for Communicating with Students and Families-Attendance Works

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How Can You Use this Toolkit?

This toolkit is designed to help educators and their community partners integrate attention to attendance and engagement into school daily operations. The goal is not to add more work to school staff who are stretched thin, but to enhance the effectiveness of what they already do.

The toolkit recognizes that showing up is just a first step for engagement and learning. It emphasizes working with students and families as partners to ensure students get to school every day possible, and have opportunities to connect, engage and thrive. For most students, this involves attending in-person instruction. But when that is not possible due to Covid, mental health or other barriers, ensuring access to quality remote learning is essential.

Showing Up Matters for R.E.A.L. is filled with free, ready-to-use messaging resources for everyone who understands that helping children and youth to get to school every day provides opportunities for students to achieve academically, develop socially and reach for their dreams.

When adapting R.E.A.L., consider where people in your school community have the greatest challenges. Get to know families so you can decide which talking point(s) make most sense. For example, if families are struggling with housing or basic needs, you might want to start with offering Access to resources rather than emphasizing routines.

This toolkit is organized into four key steps. Click on the step below for details, tools and talking points.

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Showing Up Matters for R.E.A.L. - Attendance Works

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This toolkit is designed to help educators and their community partners integrate attention to attendance and engagement into school daily operations. The goal is not to add more work to school staff who are stretched thin, but to enhance the effectiveness of what they already do.

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There are SOOOO many kinds of questions that can be great for a circle, it all depends on your goals and your group. Is it a quick check-in circle or a longer sharing circle? Do you have 5 people or 25? Are circles new to them or has this group been doing circles together for months? Are they 5th graders or 11th graders? Do you have a specific topic or issue that needs addressing? (If the purpose is to address a specific conflict, please contact Molly or Jill.) .

A great way to get students involved and invested in the circle process is to invite them to submit questions. Maybe have a box where they can drop questions any time. You'll want to give these a quick review to remove anything really inappropriate, but remember, silly can be great for building community. After some experience you can invite students to take a turn as Circle Keeper as well!

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Restorative Practices at Schoolcraft Community Schools - Circle Questions

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There are SOOOO many kinds of questions that can be great for a circle, it all depends on your goals and your group. Is it a quick check-in circle or a longer sharing circle? Do you have 5 people or 25? Are circles new to them or has this group been doing circles together for months?

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Resources to use in interactions about attendance with students or families

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Teens and Their Families - Attendance Works

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Address fears about Covid-19 among students & families to increase the likelihood that families will enroll & show up in person at the start of the school year. https://awareness.attendanceworks.org/resources/toolkit-2022/what-are-the-key-messages/ #SchoolEveryDay

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National Center for Pyramid Model Innovations

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National Center for Pyramid Model Innovations

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At every tier of the Pyramid Model, practitioners and programs should consider what strategies might be used to welcome and support diverse families; how to create opportunities to learn from families; strategies for partnering with families to promote child outcomes; and providing the supports and services that families might need to promote their child's skill development.
(Fox & Swett, 2017, p. 86).

Fox, L. & Swett, J. (2017). Implementing partnerships with families to promote the social and emotional competence of young children. In Weist, M. D. Weist, S.A. Garbacz, K. L. Lane, & D. Kincaid, D. (Eds), Aligning and integrating family engagement in Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS): Concepts and strategies for families and schools in key contexts (pp. 84-97). Center for Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (funded by the Office of Special Education Programs, U.S. Department of Education). Eugene, Oregon: University of Oregon Press. https://www.pbis.org/Common/Cms/files/pbisresources/Family%20Engagement%20in%20PBIS.pdf

Guidance on Family Engagement

On May 5, 2016, the U.S. Departments of Education (ED) and Health and Human Services (HHS) issued a statement on the implementation of effective family engagement practices from the early years to the early grades. This statement offers a review of research, legal requirement, and best practices related to family engagement. Included in the statement are recommendations and resources for states and programs.
ED-HHS Policy Statement on Family Engagement: From the Early Years to the Early Grades
Executive Summary
ECTA Family Engagement Broadcast Series

We strongly recommend that you find the time to explore the importance of family engagement and the development of trusting partnerships with families by viewing this four-part web broadcast hosted by the ECTA Center in partnership with the DaSY Center, Ann Turnbull, and Rud Turnbull.
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Teaching Social-Emotional Skills at Home

Social-emotional skills can be categorized into four types: behavior regulation, friendship skills, emotional literacy, and problem-solving skills.

Scripted Stories for Social Situations are short PowerPoint presentations consisting of a mixture of words and pictures that provide specific information to a child about social situations such as going to preschool, sitting in circle time, staying safe and using words. When children are given information that helps them understand expectations, their problem behavior within that situation is reduced or minimized. These stories provide examples of how scripted stories are worded and illustrated for a child. Teachers and families should modify the story to be meaningful for the child they are supporting and the unique context of the social situation.
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Building Relationships

Family Handout Collections

The Backpack Connection Series was created by TACSEI to provide a way for teachers and parents/caregivers to work together to help young children develop social emotional skills and reduce challenging behavior. Teachers may choose to send a handout home in each child's backpack when a new strategy or skill is introduced to the class. Each Backpack Connection handout provides information that helps parents stay informed about what their child is learning at school and specific ideas on how to use the strategy or skill at home. This series was developed in collaboration with Pyramid Plus: The Colorado Center for Social Emotional Competence and Inclusion and Bal Swan Children's Center in Broomfield, Colorado.

The Backpack Connection Series includes handouts in four categories: Addressing Behavior, Emotions, Routines and Schedules, and Social Skills.

Other Languages

Looking for Backpack Connection or other Family Materials in Spanish or Chinese? Our resources have been translated. Click below to explore additional materials on cainclusion.org.

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Family Engagement - National Center for Pyramid Model Innovations

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At every tier of the Pyramid Model, practitioners and programs should consider what strategies might be used to welcome and support diverse families; how to create opportunities to learn from families; strategies for partnering with families to promote child outcomes; and providing the supports and services that families might need to promote their child's skill ...

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Restorative Circle Check-In Questions for Middle School

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Restorative Circle Check-In Questions for Middle School

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35 Restorative Justice Circle Questions to Engage Middle School Students

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By creating a safe, brave container for self-inquiry and deep listening, restorative circles are a powerful tool for building community, checking in, sharing stories, learning about relationships and values, encouraging individual and shared goals and dreams, and taking responsibility for behaviors…

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180 Questions for Connecting Circles and Delightful Discussions

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180 Questions for Connecting Circles and Delightful Discussions

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Sample Prompting Questions/Topics for Circles

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Sample Prompting Questions/Topics for Circles

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How to Create Circle Questions for Classroom Learning

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How to Create Circle Questions for Classroom Learning

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Using circles to start or end the class can give students an opportunity to reflect on what they understand or on what confuses them. Sentence stems are a great way to do that. Examples of questions teachers might ask include:

What is one thing you learned from last night's homework?

What is one question you have about last night's homework?

What is one thing you remember about the reading of _____?

What is one question you have about the reading of_______?

What is something you understand about ______?

What is something you don't understand about _____?

To begin or end a unit or topic in any subject

Circle rounds can reveal what students know or would like to know about the topic.

To address a difficult idea in a novel or non-fiction book

Circle rounds can be used to create a structured discussion about a social issue or topic that may be difficult for students to discuss. For example:

What does it mean to bully someone?

Tell us about a time when you or one of your friends was bullied.

What are some ideas you have about how to protect your friends from a bully situation?

To provide feedback for student writing

Circles can be used to offer feedback to students on written assignments. It is important to provide some safety with the progression of the rounds. For example:

What did you notice in this piece of writing?

What do you feel are the strongest aspects of this piece?

Where would you like more details or have questions?

Are there any areas that need some refinement?

Do you have any rewrite suggestions?

To provide practice in a Foreign Language Class

Circles can be a great and easy way to practice a Foreign Language. The teacher can create a simple question for everyone to answer based on the level and vocabulary of the class. For example:

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How to Create Circle Questions for Classroom Learning — Pathways to Restorative Communities

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About homework, a reading or general understanding in any subject Using circles to start or end the class can give students an opportunity to reflect on what they understand or on what confuses them. Sentence stems are a great way to do that. Examples of questions teachers might ask include: W

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Restorative Practices Resources - Gateway to Restorative Practices

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Evidence-based approach to teaching and discipline that creates safe, joyful, and engaging classrooms and school communities. Tammy attended training in Responsive Classroom and loved it!

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"Before you speak, listen." -William A. Ward Listening With Purpose As I listen in on the student conversations occurring around the classroom, I notice that my students have a firm grasp on the basics of listening and speaking. They turn their attention toward the speaker and maintain a calm...

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Responsive Classroom is an evidence-based approach to teaching that focuses on the strong link between academic success and social-emotional learning (SEL).

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The latest edition of The Morning Meeting Book preserves the essential content and guidelines for each of the four components that have helped thousands of elementary school teachers launch each school day with Morning Meeting. It also contains updates and a new format designed to meet the needs of today's educators.

Promote positive connections, academic growth, and productive behavior by starting each school day with Morning Meeting. Give your students a consistent time and place to gather, explore and practice social skills, build a sense of community, and prepare for the day of learning ahead.

The latest edition of The Morning Meeting Book preserves the essential content and guidelines for each of the four components that have helped thousands of elementary school teachers launch each school day with Morning Meeting. It also contains updates and a new format designed to meet the needs of today's educators.

The 4 th edition of this comprehensive, user-friendly book includes:

A full-color interior with photographs, icons, charts, and color coding to help you easily navigate the book's content

Expanded implementation guidance, including suggestions for resolving common Morning Meeting stumbling blocks

QR codes that connect you to videos of Morning Meeting in action

Online planning guides and other digital tools

A multitude of ideas for each component, from the tried-and-true to the new and innovative

A new chapter devoted to harnessing the power of the Morning Meeting structure to build community and foster connections outside the classroom setting

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Promote positive connections, academic growth, and productive student behavior by starting each school day with Morning Meeting.

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Morning Meeting is an engaging way to start each day, build a strong sense of community, and set children up for social and academic success.

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Need some great ideas for greetings for morning meetings in your K-2 classroom? Try these 30+ engaging and creative "hello's" to start your day!
Delightful and Engaging Greetings for Morning Meetings

How do you like to start your mornings? Do you have a routine that you follow? Maybe it includes coffee, reading, yoga, or something else to create a positive mindset. How you choose to begin your morning can set the tone for the rest of the day.

The same goes for the classroom. How you begin the school day also affects your students' day. The routines and rituals we participate in together when the day begins sets the tone and create an atmosphere that fosters a rich learning environment.

Engaging Greetings for Morning Meetings

Morning meetings have become an important part of most elementary classrooms, as teachers have realized the value of beginning the day with a routine.

One component of the morning meeting that can create positivity and connection is the "greeting". Each morning meeting begins with a time of students greeting one another.

Although they may seem unrelated to learning, greetings for morning meetings present a fun, meaningful experience. So, I have created a list of 30+ greetings for morning meetings that you can implement in your classroom. These greetings will encourage fun and keep things fresh during your morning routine!
Check out these amusing ideas below!

Butterfly - While saying good morning to classmates, hook thumbs together and wave fingers.

Thankful for - Take turns and greet each other with "Good morning ____!" and "Today, I am thankful for ____."

Positive affirmations - In a circle, greet classmates with "Good morning!" and something you are good at. For example, "My name is Wesley, and I am a good friend."

Snowball fight - Each student writes their name on a piece of paper. Crumple up the papers and have students throw them across the room. Each student picks up a snowball and greets the person whose name is on the paper.

Dance moves - Greet each classmate with "Good morning, _____!" while doing your favorite dance move.

Minute Mingle - Greet as many classmates as possible in one minute using a handshake, fist bump, high five, or a greeting of your choice!

Silly Talk - Greet classmates by saying "Good morning, ____!" while using a silly voice.

Hickety Pickety - Sing: "Hickety Pickety Bumble Bee! Won't you say your name for me?" Student: "_____" All: " ______" Let's clap it. Let's whisper it.

Follow the Leader - In a circle, take turns saying "Good morning!" and do a short action. The class repeats, "Good morning!" and copies the action.

Foreign Language - Choose another language's greeting for the morning. For example, have the students greet each other with a Spanish "Hola!"

Say Your Name - "Say your name, and when you do, we will say it back to you!" Go around the circle, while everyone chants and the student says their name. Then, everyone says their name back to them!

Shoe Greeting - Students remove one shoe and place all of the shoes in a pile. The teacher says go, and students grab a shoe. They find the owner of the shoe and greet them!

Pass the Squeeze - Sitting in a circle and holding hands, the teacher will squeeze the hand of one of the students sitting beside her. That student will squeeze the hand of the person beside him and so on until the squeeze makes it back to the teacher. Students will have to be quiet, calm, and aware, which makes this a perfect starter when the students come in a little rowdy.

Curtsy or Bow - Find five students to curtsy or bow to as you say hello. To make this extra fancy, try calling classmates Sir or Madam or Mx!

Echo Greeting - The teacher will say, "Good Morning, [Student]!" The class will echo the student's name, getting softer and softer. Continue until everyone has been greeted. Or, if pressed for time, greet the class as a whole (Ex. Good Morning KA! KA, KA, KA, KA).

Compliments - Go around the circle by saying hello to the person next to you and giving them a compliment. Ex. "Good morning, Rachel! I like your drawing."

World Language Greeting - Teach students how to say "Hello, my name is _________" in the language of your choice. Each student will say the phrase (ex. Bonjour, Je m'appelle Elliot.), while the class will respond with "Hello, ______." in the same language.

Good Morning Song - Sing the following lyrics to the tune of "Good Morning" from Singing in the Rain." When students say "to you," they should point to someone across from them in the circle. "Good morning, good morning... It's great to be at school! Good morning, good morning to you! Good morning, Good morning. We'll learn the whole day through. Good morning, good morning to you!"

Action Name - Give students a little time to think of a verb that begins with the same letter or sound as their first name. Going around the circle, students will introduce themselves with their Action Name (ex. "I'm Singing Sarah!") and do the action. The class will respond, "Hi, Singing Sarah!" and do the action. You could also do Adjective Alliteration!

Change the Sound Names - Students introduce themselves by saying their name and what their name would sound like if they changed the beginning sound. Ex. My name is Brayden. If I change the /B/ to /C/, I'd be Crayden! The class will respond by saying, "Hello, Crayden!"

Cowboy - Greet your classmates in your best cowboy voice by saying, "Howdy, partner! I'm Sherriff ______."

Sign Language Greeting - Teach students to sign "Good Morning" or another greeting and have them greet each other. If you have time, you can even have them create a sign language name for themselves and introduce themselves using their sign.

Whisper Greeting - Greet each other in your quietest whisper! Try tip-toeing to each person you greet, too.

Closed Eye Greeting - Sitting in a circle, students close their eyes. The teacher calls out 1, 2, 3, and open! Students try to make eye contact with someone else and then go to that person to say hello. Repeat, finding a new person to greet.

My Favorite Friends Song - Sing the students' names in your class to the tune of "My Favorite Things" from the Sound of Music. An example is given below. Repeat as many times as it takes to include everyone's names. "Henry and Ashley and Rebecca and Charles. Thomas and Nia, Isabella and Michael. George and Annie and Lyla and Frank. These are a few of my favorite friends!"

Dice Greeting - Start with everyone standing in a circle. One student rolls a die and counts that number of students around the circle. The roller greets the person they counted and then sits down. The person who was greeted is the new roller. Continue until everyone has been greeted.

Cheerleader Greeting - Chant "2, 4, 6, 8, who do we appreciate? _________, yeah, yeah, ________." Repeat with everyone's names.

Kindness Greetings - Each student takes a turn to say "My name is ________ and I can be kind by ___________." You can also do this with other positive character traits (ways to be helpful, ways to show others respect, ways to be healthy, etc.).

Salute - The perfect greeting around Labor Day, Veteran's Day, or Memorial Day is a salute! Have students salute the person next to them and say "Good Morning, Sargeant ________" (or Major, Captain, Private, etc.)."

Robot Greeting - Have students move and talk like robots as they greet each other. Try adding "beep" or "boop" to make the robot voice extra fun!

T-Rex Handshake - Students walk around with their arms tucked in like a t-rex and find five friends to greet. Using only their tiny arms, try to shake hands as you say hello!

Animal Greetings - Each student says their favorite animal. The class greets them by making that animal sound or an action associated with that animal. For example, if Liam's favorite animal is a lion, the class says, "Hi Liam! ROAR!"

Simon Says Greeting - Give students a new way to travel to each person they greet. For example, you might say, "Simon Says tiptoe to a classmate and say hello! Simon says hop on one foot to a different classmate and say hello! Simon says crawl on all fours to another classmate and say hello!"

Student Choice - By far, my favorite way to greet students is to have them pick their greeting. Encourage kids to take turns greeting you as they enter the classroom each day in their special way (i.e. a handshake, a high five, a hug, etc.)! Follow along and bring your smile!

How fun do these greetings sound? Kids will love them, bringing some joy and excitement to your morning meeting. At the same time, these simple activities will build relationships between your students that will hopefully create a better learning environment. Why not get started today?

Morning Meeting Social-Emotional Learning - FREE Week - Slides & Printable Cards

To get you started with morning meeting, I have a free week of slides and printable cards that you can start using during your morning meeting immediately! Take the work out of creating your own materials and try these that are all ready to go.
Click the image below to grab your copy.

SEL Morning Meeting Bundle for the Year

Do you want to save planning time and have your meetings ready each day? Check out my Morning Meeting bundle for the school year for more done-for-you slides and ideas for your morning meetings.

With our morning meeting resources with pre-filled greetings, questions, and activities, you can create meaningful morning meetings that build social-emotional skills.

More Morning Meeting Ideas
SEL Morning Meeting Virtual Morning Meetings Morning Meeting Ideas and Routines PIN for Later

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30+ Fresh and Fun Greetings for Morning Meetings

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Need some great ideas for greetings for morning meetings in your K-2 classroom? Try some of these engaging and creative "hello's"!

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Fun Morning Meeting Activities and Games to Start the Day

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Fun Morning Meeting Activities and Games to Start the Day

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30 Morning Meeting Activities To Start the Day With a Smile

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Class Meeting Role Playing Planning Guide

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Class Meeting Role Playing Planning Guide

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Collaborations with schools and communities to proactively teach students and staff the skills to thrive with interpersonal relationships, self-and social awareness, and conflict resolution skills, including anti­bullying techniques. 

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A Proactive Approach to Preventing School Violence

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Use the practical strategies described in this book to prevent bullying and create a safe, inclusive elementary classroom where kindness and learning flourish.

The revised and updated edition of this classic book uses time-tested and developmentally responsive strategies to create a classroom in which bullying and meanness diminish and kindness flourishes. This second edition incorporates recent studies, updated references, and a new chapter on cyberbullying.

Veteran educator Caltha Crowe offers a proactive approach to bullying prevention that shows you how to create a positive classroom environment and how to respond to mean behavior before it escalates into bullying.

The second edition also includes updated lesson plans for teaching elementary children about gateway and bullying behaviors and many other valuable resources educators can use right away.

In the new edition, you'll learn how to:

Help children get to know each other (a first step toward kindness) and work together respectfully (a key to a climate of inclusion)

Create rules that children believe in

Identify behaviors that are gateways to bullying and learn how to stop them

Recognize potential bullying situations outside of the classroom

Involve parents in preventing and responding to bullying

Recognize, respond to, and prevent cyberbullying

Free discussion questions! These chapter-by-chapter questions will deepen your learning and help you apply the book's strategies to your own setting.

The revised and updated edition of this classic book uses time-tested and developmentally responsive strategies to create a classroom in which bullying and meanness diminish and kindness flourishes. This second edition incorporates recent studies, updated references, and a new chapter on cyberbullying.

Veteran educator Caltha Crowe offers a proactive approach to bullying prevention that shows you how to create a positive classroom environment and how to respond to mean behavior before it escalates into bullying.

The second edition also includes updated lesson plans for teaching elementary children about gateway and bullying behaviors and many other valuable resources educators can use right away.

In the new edition, you'll learn how to:

Help children get to know each other (a first step toward kindness) and work together respectfully (a key to a climate of inclusion)

Create rules that children believe in

Identify behaviors that are gateways to bullying and learn how to stop them

Recognize potential bullying situations outside of the classroom

Involve parents in preventing and responding to bullying

Recognize, respond to, and prevent cyberbullying

Free discussion questions! These chapter-by-chapter questions will deepen your learning and help you apply the book's strategies to your own setting.

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How to Bullyproof Your Classroom K-5 (Second Edition)

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Use the practical strategies described in this book to prevent bullying and create a safe, inclusive elementary classroom. Learn more today!

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Family and Community Engagement 1-Pager.docx

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What Does High Impact Family Engagement Look Like in Reducing Chronic Absence?

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What Does High Impact Family Engagement Look Like in Reducing Chronic Absence?

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Trauma-Informed Restorative Discipline: A Guide for Creating Restorative Learning in Your School 

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Trauma-Informed Restorative Discipline: A Guide for Creating Restorative Learning in Your School 

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Summer Learning & Enrichment State Guidance for District and School Leaders

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Summer Learning & Enrichment State Guidance for District and School Leaders

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Montana Gear Up Program - Montana GEAR UP | Montana University System

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GEAR UP is an acronym for Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs. The purpose of GEAR UP is to help students prepare for some form of postsecondary education after high school graduation. GEAR UP has three main objectives: 1) To prepare students academically to take college level classes without the need for remediation. 2) To increase high school graduation levels and college enrollment. 3) To increase parents’ and student’s knowledge of post-secondary options, including affordability.

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HB 250: Education Laws Related to Out-of-District Attendance (beginning July 1, 2025)

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HB 250: Education Laws Related to Out-of-District Attendance (beginning July 1, 2025)

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Bill Text (2025-05-08) Generally revise education laws related to out-of-district attendance. [Chapter Number Assigned]

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Building the Foundation of Data Literacy

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Building the Foundation of Data Literacy

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(3 RUs) Insight into data literacy and data analysis strategies for teachers and administrators in Montana. 

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Built with Open LMS, a Moodle-based product. Copyright © 2025 Open LMS, All Rights Reserved.

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How to Track and Support Student Attendance in MTSS

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How to Track and Support Student Attendance in MTSS

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Over the past year, attendance has become a significant issue for many schools and districts. With students learning remotely, in-person, or through a combination of both, it has been difficult for educators to not only keep track of and assess student absenteeism, but also implement effective practices to support strong attendance rates. As more students begin returning to in-person learning, it is critical for schools and districts to revisit their attendance practices and policies and make sure they are using approaches aligned with research and best practices. It is also important to align student attendance with the goals and practices used within a multi-tiered system of support (MTSS). Below, we provide an overview of why attendance is so important, how it should be monitored, and how to effectively address issues with attendance at the school, classroom, and individual student levels.

Why is attendance important?

Research studies have found a consistent relationship between attendance and academic outcomes; the more days students miss, the lower their academic performance. This is not surprising, as students who are chronically absent will be missing out on critical learning opportunities, which ultimately contribute to their academic performance. The implications of poor attendance can also be seen across all ages . As early as kindergarten, students who are frequently absent are more at risk for academic problems down the road;nd the associations between attendance and grades and test performance only gets stronger as students get older.

Not only does attendance impact academic outcomes but it also affects students' social-emotional well-being and behavior. In older elementary and middle school students, greater absenteeism predicts the presence of conduct problems and depression. Interestingly, in high school , absenteeism itself predicts mental health issues. In other words, the more adolescents are absent overtime, the more likely they are to experience internalizing symptoms, such as depression and anxiety, as well as other issues with substance and alcohol abuse.

How should attendance be monitored and tracked?

As outlined above, it is clear that student attendance should be closely monitored in order to effectively prevent absenteeism and intervene with students when necessary. Student attendance data should also be used within an MTSS framework to effectively problem-solve and make evidence-based decisions for students. Districts and schools commonly do this by tracking the average daily attendance (ADA) of students to determine overall levels of school absenteeism. However, this method can actually mask chronic absenteeism since it is difficult to determine if the average reflects a large number of students missing a few days or a small number of students missing a lot of days (with the latter being problematic). Research shows that even schools with a 96% ADA could have a significant absenteeism problem.

Another commonly used metric is the number of days students are absent, weekly, monthly, or overall. This is a better indicator for individual student absenteeism; however, the number can be difficult to interpret depending on how far it is into a month or school year. For example, five days absent across the whole school year is typical, whereas five days in the first month is problematic. That is why experts recommend using a percent to monitor student absences. Specifically, chronic absenteeism should be defined as missing 10 percent or more school days. So if a student has been enrolled for 40 days of school and has missed more than four days they would be identified as having chronic absenteeism. This method of measuring absenteeism has been shown to be an effective early warning indicator of academic risk and school dropout. At the school level, when over 20% of students are chronically absent that means there is a significant attendance issue that needs to be addressed at the school level (see examples of strategies below).

Another common attendance monitoring mistake is only tracking unexcused absences or "truancies." When calculating the rate of absenteeism, teachers and staff should include excused and unexcused. Both chronic excused and unexcused absences are associated with poor outcomes for students. In addition, when younger students are absent they are often home with the knowledge of a caregiver or adult who can call in to "excuse" the absence. Nevertheless, these students could still be at risk.

Finally, tracking absenteeism appears to be more important than tracking lateness or tardiness. Research shows that missing an entire day of school is associated with lower academic performance, compared to the number of tardies. This has implications for school policies on lateness which can sometimes unintentionally lead to more absences. Schools should ensure that students make it to school, even if they are going to be late, as opposed to not showing up at all to avoid the consequences associated with lateness.

What interventions and strategies can be used to promote attendance?

When attendance is a school-level issue (i.e., 20% of the school population is chronically absent) it is critical to evaluate why this is a systemic issue and implement policies that will help promote attendance across all students. For some schools, focusing on school-wide SEL practices to improve overall climate and students' sense of belonging can make schools a more welcoming and inclusive environment. The ultimate goal is for schools to be a place where students want to be everyday. School-wide attendance contests among grade-levels and classrooms can also help motivate students to come to school and hold their classmates accountable. It is also worth evaluating any existing disciplinary attendance policies that may be counterproductive and lead to more time being spent out of school. This is often the case when suspensions and expulsions are used to punish students who are chronically absent.

There may also be issues present in the larger community that have unintentional consequences on attendance. For example, unstable housing, issues with public transportation, and access to health care can affect whether or not caregivers can get their child to school everyday. They can also impact adolescents' ability to get to school on their own. Schools may need to involve stakeholders outside of the school, such as families, caregivers, community members, and local elected officials to help address these issues that are having a negative impact on student attendance.

When it comes to supporting individual students who have attendance concerns, there are several evidence-based strategies that can be used. For example, Attendance Groups and Attendance Buddies are both positive behavioral approaches that have peers or mentors hold students accountable for their attendance and provide positive reinforcement. Students are taught explicit strategies to improve their attendance and set goals for themselves which they monitor over time. These methods also aim to keep students engaged and connected with their school so that they are motivated to attend.

Another targeted attendance intervention is Attendance Postcards , where school administrators or teachers send a postcard to the parents/guardians of students who are struggling with attendance. The postcard includes a note encouraging parents/guardians to improve their student's attendance. This simple approach is based on the principles of "nudge" theory and can be used to increase parent/guardian awareness of student absenteeism and boost student attendance. found that sending a single postcard to guardians encouraging attendance reduced student absences by just over 2%. This increase was observed across an entire school district, from grades 1 to 12. Providing parents/guardians with the total number of times their child has been absent, across a month, semester, or year, can also correct their inaccurate beliefs. Research has shown that this method also improves attendance among students with chronic absenteeism.

Attendance Groups, Attendance Buddies, Attendance Postcards, and 100s more are available in our library.
➡️Learn about our library of evidence-based interventions: Thousands of Evidence-Based Interventions and Accommodations for Reading, Writing, Math, Behavior, SEL & More. Learn more.

In summary, both tracking and interventions play an important role in supporting student's attendance within an MTSS framework. Effectively monitoring student attendance, at the student and school levels, as well as implementing evidence-based practices across these levels, provides a system for reducing absenteeism and becoming more aware of attendance-related issues. Together, all of these efforts will keep attendance rates high and promote student learning and development.

At Branching Minds, we provide districts and schools with the ability to flag students who have an attendance concern so they can easily be identified by teachers and other school staff. We also include attendance-focused supports in our library of evidence-based interventions and strategies. These supports can be assigned directly to students, individually or within a group. Teachers can then track the implementation of these supports to see how it is impacting students' attendance and absenteeism. Finally, teachers can document any meetings or family communication related to attendance on students' overview pages so that this information is stored alongside other academic, behavioral, and social-emotional data.

Interested in Learning How to Support the Whole Child with Branching Minds?

Branching Minds makes MTSS easy, efficient, and effective by bringing together all of the components of MTSS so teachers can collaboratively problem-solve and support all students' holistic needs. Our system-level solution helps schools improve students' outcomes across academics, behavior, and SEL equitably.

Our platform supports teachers with Behavior and SEL in the following ways:

✅Assessing SEL Needs with the DESSA
✅ Understand Students Perception of their Own SEL Competence with the SECA
✅ Leveraging SEL Screeners for Tiering
✅ More effective problem-solving
✅ Finding the Right Evidence-based Interventions & Accommodations for Each Learner
✅ Creating Intervention Plans and Monitoring Daily & Weekly Progress in Behavior/SEL
✅ Logging & Monitoring Behavior Incidents
✅ Pattern Matching Behavior Incidents Across Groups

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Tracking and Supporting Student Attendance in MTSS

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Over the past year, attendance has become a significant issue for many schools and districts. With students learning remotely, in-person, or through a combination of both, it has been difficult for educators to not only keep track of and assess student absenteeism, but also implement effective practices to support strong attendance rates.

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Adult-Student Relationship Mapping | Implementation Plan + Tool (2025-26)

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2x10 Relationship Building: How to Do It (and Why It Works)

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2x10 Relationship Building: How to Do It (and Why It Works)

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Understanding the Root Causes for Student Absenteeism Worksheet

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Understanding the Root Causes for Student Absenteeism Worksheet

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Resilience: Strategies to Increase Optimism 

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Resilience: Strategies to Increase Optimism 

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(4 RUs) Specific strategies to support students to grow in optimism, motivation, and build resilience.

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Built with Open LMS, a Moodle-based product. Copyright © 2025 Open LMS, All Rights Reserved.

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Why every student deserves a champion | Rita Pierson

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The Montana EWS model uses school, student, and other live data to identify students who are at risk of dropping out of school. Students are identified early so action can be taken to help keep the student in school. The Montana EWS uses attendance, behavior, grades, mobility, and other data to determine if a student is at risk. Student in grades 6-12 are  identified as well as why each student is at risk.

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The Montana Early Warning System (EWS) is a system that uses live student level data to determine the chance of a student dropping out in grades 3-12, as well as the reasons why the student is at risk. This system is free to any Montana public school and may be used at any time during the school year.

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Assists educators and health professionals in determining the prevalence of health-risk behaviors as self-reported by Montana youth.

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OPI Resilience in Something Else (RISE) 

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OPI Resilience in Something Else (RISE) 

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montana office of public instruction website

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Tribal Student Achievement and Relations

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School-Based Health Centers in Montana: Why They're Critical 

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School-Based Health Centers in Montana: Why They're Critical 

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School-based Health Centers in Montana: Why They’re Critical

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Discover how school-based health centers enhance community wellness with accessible, comprehensive care for students, families, and staff.

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The School-Based Health Initiative supports quality, convenient health care for students and their families in a safe, familiar place. We support partnerships between schools and health care providers to create school-based health services in schools that need them most.

Providing health services in school settings helps kids miss less school and supports better academic outcomes. Untreated health issues impact students in all areas of their lives, including the classroom. Untreated mental illness, dental infections, and medical illnesses such as asthma commonly cause excessive absences, classroom behavioral challenges, and poor academic performance. The ripple effect of these issues can extend into critical school metrics such as attendance and graduation rates. Addressing these health issues can help students reach their full academic potential and achieve greater personal success.

School-based health centers provide various health services, including primary care, behavioral health, and dental care. They are flexible and can adapt to each community's needs.

This initiative has supported the startup of school-based health centers serving 87 of the state's highest-need schools.

Visit our Grant Library to learn more about these projects.
Grant Library

SPOTLIGHT

Health Centers Collaborate to Provide Services in the Helena School District

Through a unique partnership, PureView Health Center and Helena Indian Alliance are collaborating to bring school-based health services to the Helena School District.

The Helena School District consists of 18 schools that serve about 2,500 students. Because many schools have a considerable need for health services, the health centers recognized that they could work collaboratively rather than competitively to provide student services.

We gave implementation grants to the school district and each health center to support a new partnership to create school-based health services. We also provided their staff with one-on-one support in developing relationships and technical assistance to plan for the school-based health centers and get services up and running.

In 2023, Helena Alliance began providing services at Helena High School and C.R. Anderson Middle School. PureView Health Center began operating in Capital High School and the Project for Alternative Learning. The health centers have clinics at each site, providing mental health services for students and school staff. Over the first four months of operations, these new clinics served 118 patients in four schools, totaling 729 visits.

There is a true commitment by both organizations to support the schools at every level. They have done non-reimbursable mental health screenings because they know the students need care. They collaborate and work together on solutions. This partnership has been such a gift to the district and a highlight to my career.

Lona Carter, Helena School District Director of Student Health Services & Special Education

Contact

If you have a question about this initiative, please email our program team.

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School-Based Health Initiative - Montana Healthcare Foundation

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Supporting new and existing partnerships between schools and health care providers.

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This second of four Attendance Awareness Campaign webinars will focus on the importance of intentionally cultivating caring relationships with students and families, over time, as a crucial foundation for engagement. Speakers will explore barriers to showing up and how they are using data to determine what works given new realities.

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As schools and communities take stock of the impacts from disrupted learning, putting in place meaningful ways to engage students and their families is critical to addressing the absenteeism, enrollment declines and educational inequities exacerbated by the pandemic. The Showing Up Matters for R.E.A.L. toolkit offers a memorable way to explain how being in school supports students' social, emotional and physical well-being while providing opportunities to learn and achieve.

Some of the materials in the toolkits were created prior to March 2020. We recommend that you follow your local health department, district and/or state guidance related to safety and education for the current school year.

Attendance Works has developed toolkits tailored for educators working with students in preschool through secondary school, as well as principals and school districts. The toolkits are filled with strategies and resources for monitoring, understanding and addressing chronic absence.

The approaches can be implemented in the classroom, or at the school, district, community or state level.

All resources can be downloaded and used without express permission as long as Attendance Works is attributed. See our Usage Policy.

Simply emphasizing the impact of days missed on learning does not adequately recognize the overwhelming stresses many students and families are faced with during the pandemic. This toolkit offers a new framework for communicating about attendance that is embedded in a whole child perspective. Find free, ready-to-use messaging resources to incorporate into regular school operations. Find the toolkit.

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As schools and communities take stock of the impacts from disrupted learning, putting in place meaningful ways to engage students and their families is critical to addressing the absenteeism, enrollment declines and educational inequities exacerbated by the pandemic. The Showing Up Matters for R.E.A.L.

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Link Featured at the Conclusion of the Presentation at Summer Institute

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Companion Guide to Using the Attendance Playbook - Attendance Works

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Companion Guide to Using the Attendance Playbook - Attendance Works

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Resources If you are like us, you are you are always looking for new ways to use play as an educator. Explore what's working in schools across the country. No...

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Need a group game for 30 kindergarteners, indoors, in a pinch? Trying to convince 5th grader boys to stop hogging the ball? We have you covered.

Explore hundreds of games by group size, available space and equipment, appropriate ages, and developmental skills. Our games are designed to keep all kids playing. You will see lots of games where everyone is "it", ground-rules that keep games manageable for recess supervisors, skill-building variations on students' favorite sports, and other adaptations that make games fun and inclusive for everyone.

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Need a group game for 30 kindergarteners, indoors, in a pinch? Trying to convince 5th grader boys to stop hogging the ball? We have you covered. Explore hundreds of games by group size, available space and equipment, appropriate ages, and developmental skills. Our games are designed to keep all kids playing.

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 Improvements on the playground can impact the entire day at school.

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Explore how improvements on the playground can impact the entire day at your school.

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Subscription-based, online resource to support play-based learning.

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Playworks’ subscription-based, online resource to support the continuous learning of safe and healthy play for school and youth development staff