Tulsa Public Schools is launching Keep Our Kids in School Week, a new initiative designed to support student success and increase the district’s graduation rate, starting with students in the classes of 2017 and 2020. From September 12 – 16, school leaders, teachers, and district staff will hit the streets to knock on doors and have home visits with students who have not yet shown up to school.
“Over the last two weeks, our school leaders have been working to locate those students who are enrolled, but have not yet come to school,” said Instructional Leadership Director Stacey Vinson. “They’ve made phone calls, searched on social media, and even talked to other students to track down our ‘no show’ kids. Some of these students may have moved out of district, but for those still living in Tulsa, we want to find out why they’re not coming to school and identify resources and supports to get them back.”
Keep Our Kids in School Week will focus on students entering the 9th and 12th grades. “We know that long-term success starts with a great pre-K-12 education and a high school diploma. We are committed to ensuring that all students in the class of 2017 are enrolled in their home schools or at alternative programs with a plan in place for graduating on time with their peers,” said Superintendent Deborah A. Gist. “We are also focusing on our incoming freshman in the class of 2020 so that they have a strong start at the secondary level to prepare them for continued success in high school.”
As part of their continued outreach efforts this week, school teams are also strategizing about the best approaches to match the particular needs and interests of each student. “We want to meet our kids where they are, and we want to reach them in the way that will be most effective,” said Vinson. “For example, if we know that a student had a strong bond with his 10th grade math teacher, we will ask that teacher to participate in the home visit. Every day, teachers and school staff form life-altering relationships with students, and these meaningful personal connections can be the key to getting a student back in the classroom and back on track to graduate.”