For students to be successful in school, they first have to be in school.""With that simple statement, Jessica Sprick and Randy Sprick launch a compelling case for prioritizing student attendance. This comprehensive guide provides school and district-level administrators and teams with the background information, strategies, and tools needed to implement a multitiered approach to improving attendance and preventing chronic absence. The authors use the results of their work in schools throughout the United States to dispel the myth that educators have little control over student attendance and provide success stories from elementary and secondary schools that have reversed longstanding patterns of absenteeism. Citing extensive research, Sprick and Sprick share details about the shocking prevalence of chronic absence in U.S. schools and its effects on students, teachers, families, and the school community. They explain how to replace punitive approaches to absenteeism with effective methods that begin with universal supports and continue through Tier 2 and Tier 3 interventions for students with more persistent problems. Specifically, they explain how to: Build an effective school team to address absenteeism. Create systems to collect accurate data and set priorities. Develop an attendance initiative that generates student enthusiasm as well as staff, parent, and community support. Design and implement strategies that are tailored to specific schoolwide concerns and demographics that reach all students. Equipped with the information and tools presented in this book, educators can ensure wise use of staff and other resources-and create a culture of attendance that is the foundation of successful schools. This book is a copublication of ASCD and Ancora Publishing.

Students can succeed in school-but they must be in school to do so. Addressing absenteeism is as important as addressing problematic behavior and academic difficulties in the classroom. To address the pervasive issue of chronic absenteeism-that is, missing 10 percent of school days for any reason-educators must begin to move away from a model of reliance on reactive and punitive approaches and toward one that is preventive and positive, and that uses proven principles of behavioral change. Teacher's Guide to Tackling Attendance Challenges, by nationally known educators Jessica Sprick and Tricia Berg, provides teachers with the information and resources they need to build a strong classroom-based initiative to improve the attendance of all students, creating a classroom culture of attendance with easy-to-implement strategies. Sprick and Berg provide concrete and practical strategies for teachers to implement in their own classrooms to address chronic absence and improve the attendance of all students, including: A framework for implementation. Sample lesson plans. Examples and reproducibles for reinforcement systems. Talking points for use with students and families. Real-world examples of successful classroom-based approaches. Handouts for parents on establishing routines, dealing with technology and more. When teachers apply the easy-to-implement and minimally invasive presented, they will see significant improvements in student attendance. This book is a copublication of ASCD and Ancora Publishing.

Improve student behavior and motivation with this comprehensive resource Discipline in the Secondary Classroom: A Positive Approach to Behavior Management, 4th Edition is an insightful treatment of the always-challenging topic of discipline in the high school classroom. The newly revised edition of the book incorporates a renewed focus on classroom management plans, handling the use and misuse of electronic devices in the classroom, and adapting instruction for a virtual classroom setting. Discipline in the Secondary Classroom discusses other issues crucial to the successful management of secondary classrooms and include: - How behavior is learned - Managing student work - Managing the use of technology and electronic devices in the classroom - Active engagement strategies for teacher-directed instruction (both the physical classroom and the virtual classroom) - Corrective strategies for misbehavior and inattention - Maintaining a Cycle of Continuous Improvement to be a better teacher each year Perfect for grade 9 to 12 classroom teachers and educational administrators--including principals, assistant principals, staff development professionals, and consultants-- Discipline in the Secondary Classroom constitutes an indispensable resource for anyone aiming to achieve a civil, safe, and fair classroom environment.