- Rewind is a new intervention measure at Sabal Palm Elementary School to help catch up students who missed school work because of absences.
- Principal Shannon Davis of Sabal Palm said Kindergarten is one of the grade levels where they see the highest absences.
- Watch the video to find out how the new measure is keeping students on track with their learning goals here.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
A new initiative launches at Sabal Palm Community Partnership School to confront attendance issues.
"Unfortunately it's really detrimental for a child to miss any days of school," said Principal Shannon Davis of Sabal Palm Elementary School. I'm finding out how this idea is boosting learning in kindergarten.
Encouraging learning gains at Sabal Palm Community Partnership School, especially for students who have missed school due to absences and attendance issues.
That's through their new initiative Rewind, a dedicated class run by teacher Sheena Thomas here, that intervenes when kids have missed key lessons because they're not in school.
"The teacher doesn't have to do anything extra to help that student catch up," said Thomas.
Thomas will pull students out of class to re-teach any work missed.
"I like it, because by the time the end of the week comes on Friday," said Thomas, "they're able to take their kids as regular and not have to delay it another week."
Thomas said it is critical kindergarten students do not miss any lessons at this age.
"When they're not constantly learning, when they're not constantly at school, then those foundational skills can get over missed," said Thomas.
Principal Davis created Rewind.
Davis said Kindergarten is one of the grade levels that has the highest absences.
"Even being late, can mean that they miss a whole period of math, or they miss a whole period or reading," said Davis, "and those cases you're talking about missing a whole skill."
Davis said Rewind also builds on the attendance task force supported by Leon County Schools and their community partnerships to monitor students who have missed more than 10 days of school in a 90 day period.
Davis said she'll keep looking into new ways to support her students and families in this neighborhood who are facing additional hurdles.
"We just want to know that we are playing our part, we might not be able to fix it totally but what can we do," said Davis.
Most importantly, she wants students to feel cared for academically and personally.
"This is their home, and I want it to be their home," said Davis.
So, inevitably, school becomes something they never want to miss.
Principal Davis said they have absences decrease by over 15%. Principal Davis wants to try and incorporate Rewind into every school year, and hopes other schools will adopt the model.
