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锘縏his year, we're highlighting what our schools are doing toward our three primary district goals: attendance, kindness, and academic achievement. To锘縟ay, it's the Hooper Avenue Huskies.

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They show up because they count (and maybe for a free bagel)

April 1, 2025- Attendance鈥攖hough the clear focus of the 2023-2024 school year鈥攚as never intended to be a one-year thing, but ongoing.

Hooper Avenue Elementary has made sure of it.

And hey鈥攊f something is working, why stop?

"This is our second year focusing on attendance," said Principal Jason Hughes, "and we continue to see improvement with our numbers."

The answer to how they're doing it lies in the school's connection to its community, and the relationships that have been fostered and continue to grow. Which is to say, if Hooper Avenue Elementary has a goal, then you better believe there's a host of people and businesses excited to help them reach it.

When the goal is steady increases in daily attendance, for example, incentives are key. 

"We have monthly perfect attendance recipients who receive special, customized perfect attendance pencils along with a coupon for a free ice cream, cookie, or a kids meal from one of our sponsors," said Hughes.

What sponsors, you ask?

Well, there's (deep breath) ... Silverton Bagels, Jersey Mike's, Applebees, Hemmingways, iPlay America, Jenkinson's Aquarium, Dairy Queen, Tropical Smoothie, Mr. Softee, Sky Zone, Crumble Cookie, Chili's, McDonalds, and Chick-fil-A, to name a few. Or 14.

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The community is always catering to The Hoop, so it's no wonder attendance rates there are so high.

There are trimester bagel breakfasts matched with prize incentives for Hooper Huskies who've exhibited stellar attendance, which these days is so many of them.

Understandably. Because in addition to these attendance milestones and incentives, there are periodic themed contests keeping students excited and engaged. The March Madness-themed attendance bracket, for example, not only had Hooper as packed as an Eastern Regional basketball arena, but kept students engaged and helped "to get us through the winter doldrums," said Hughes.

Brackets, bagels, and the promise of baby-back ribs are enough of a draw. But there's another motivation to show up to school every day at Hooper Avenue Elementary 乐鱼体育, and it's a sign of the times, in a good way: fame.

Yes, show up to school and you're likely to find yourself featured on which鈥攚ith more than 1,100 followers and consistent, well-put-together posts and reels鈥攊s one of the district's best social media feeds. And that doesn't just go for students, because the attendance goal, like everything is at HAE, is a collective effort.

"All of our initiatives include students and staff," said Hughes. "We believe it's vitally important for our staff members to not only model what we ask of our students, but to be genuinely involved and immersed in it. We don't just want to say, 'Learning can be fun and rewarding,' we want to show it, and experience it ourselves."

So whenever you see a Hooper student's face on Instagram, happily behind the "I show up, I count" selfie board, keep scrolling, because a staff member is not far behind.

It's pretty simple when it all comes down to it. Attendance rates are strong at Hooper Ave because students want to be there. And they want to be there鈥攆or the perks, posts, and prizes, sure鈥攂ecause they're surrounded by people who also, sincerely want to be there.

Which begs the question: Just how high can attendance rates soar at Hooper? If one of their 14 sponsors has a say, Sky Zone's the limit.