Katie Palinski, Pinnacle’s attendance liaison, is leading the school’s efforts in Stay in the Game!, a program headed by the Cleveland Browns. Stay in the Game! works with schools throughout Ohio to connect them with experts and supporters to improve attendance.
Palinski said Pinnacle participated in the program briefly last year and gained insight on ways to get students in desks and keep them there consistently.
Last spring, the program included meetings with leaders across a variety of schools in the state to provide discussion and tips about improving attendance. This year, Pinnacle is taking their participation to a new level.
Palinski said being involved with the program from the beginning of the school year will include more education, planning, and incentives. These resources, cleverly called “playbooks,” are direct plans Pinnacle can implement.
“I think it’s going to bring more awareness to attendance and the importance of it,” Palinski said. “It can be as simple as sending Stay in the Game! flyers through School Connect. We have resources to put throughout the building so more people can learn about how important attendance is. I think just having a more flashy approach to attendance rather than just something mundane is going to be really helpful.”
Included in the wealth of resources are step-by-step plans for Palinski to leverage, including an outline for an upcoming spirit week to ring in the Browns’ season opener on Sept. 8. Palinski said she received a box full of shirts, towels, speakers, chains, and more to use as incentives for good attendance habits.
Another perk of participating in Stay in the Game! is that the Browns’ mascot, Chomps, will be made available for two school events throughout the year. Palinski said this is something she knows will get scholars excited.
“I imagine the kids being very excited about that,” Palinski said.
All-in-all, Palinski and Pinnacle are aiming to see more attendance growth this year. One change in strategy is incentivizing attendance for more than just scholars with perfect attendance. Pinnacle is one of around 120 schools and districts participating in the initiative.
“The program has really taken off, and we’re excited to be a part of it,” Palinski said.
Keep up the great work, Katie!
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About Pinnacle Academy
Pinnacle Academy is a tuition-free, public charter school in Euclid, Ohio, serving students in kindergarten through eighth grade. It is part of the National Heritage Academies network, which includes more than 100 tuition-free, public charter schools serving more than 65,000 students in kindergarten through 12th grade across nine states. For more information, visit nhaschools.com.
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