To help meet the district goal of decreasing chronic absenteeism by 7% by 2022, the Student Engagement Specialist (SES) team works with district and school attendance teams to ensure that attendance policies and procedures are followed. On a more personal level, they also collaborate with office staff to transition late students – who are also more likely to be absent — and families upon arrival. The SES approach also involves identifying root causes for chronic absenteeism to address underlying issues with specific interventions. A student might not come to school because of suspensions and behavioral issues rooted in their overall social-emotional well-being. In that case, the student might be paired with an adult mentor –- a volunteer or community partner — who can meet with the student daily and talk about setting both behavioral and academic goals

Find your student’s Student Engagement Specialist below:

 

School Student Engagement Specialist (SES) Email Family Support Provider (FCSSP)
Betances Learning Lab Marelina Molina
Betances STEM Magnet School TBD
Breakthrough Magnet School – North Tomoye Bryan-Pinnock
Breakthrough Magnet School – South Madeline Gomez
Bulkeley High School Eileen Garcia
Jacob Cornish
Miles Thomas Jacob Collins
eileen.garcia@hartfordschools.org jacob.cornish@hartfordschools.org miles.thomas@hartfordschools.org
jacob.collins@hartfordschools.org
Myrna Metayer- Rivera Chelsea Flores
Burns Latino Studies Academy Janette Hernandez janette.hernandez@hartfordschools.org Jackie Aviles
Burr Middle School Nosakshare Omoragbon OmorN001@hartfordschools.org Karine Monge
Capital Preparatory Magnet School Marietta Williams willm002@hartfordschools.org Shania Meyers
Classical Magnet School Tiffany Ortiz
Dwight Bellizzi Dual Langugae Academy Yesenia Aponte yesenia.aponte@hartfordschools.org Icha Pagan
Environmental Studies Magnet School Andres Rodriguez
Expeditionary Learning Academy Brittany Willis brittney.willis@hartfordschools.org Maria Rivera
Global Communicaitons Academy Robin Gomes gomer001@hartfordschools.org Nyla Williams
Great Path Academy Janice Mickle
Hartford Magnet Trinity College Academy Saida Martin Cooke saida.martin-cooke@hartfordschools.org Holly Heller Shontrice Starks
Hartford PreK Magnet School Eboni Allen
Hartford Public High School Iris Ramos
Kassandra Burgos Aldo Kela Khalil Patterson
ramoi001@hartfordschools.org kasandra.burgos@hartfordschools.org kelaa001@hartfordschools.org
pattk001@hartfordschools.org
Lissette Prospere Diane Drakes
Kennelly School Tim Cheever Lianmarie Rodriguez
Kinsella Magnet School Lower School and Upper School Vanessa Rodriguez Tahara Holmes
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Middle School Ewurabena Aniagyei-Cobbold aniae001@hartfordschools.org Joyce Bennett
McDonough Middle School Cristel Rios cristel.rios@hartfordschools.org Michelle Martinez
MD Fox School Genesis Gulley genesis.gulley@hartfordschools.org Yamil Ramos
Milner Middle School Gladys Sanchez Derival SancG001@hartfordschools.org Doris Smith
Montessori Magnet @Batchelder Nancy Hicks
Montessori Magnet at Annie Fisher Selene Roberts
Naylor School Solange Cardenas-Perez
Parkville Community School Brittany Libman libmb001@hartfordschools.org Kiara Medina
Pathways Academy of Design & Technology Taylor Payne Taylor.Payne@hartfordschools.org Zoraida Maldonado
Rawson School Sherika Dunkley dunks001@hartfordschools.org Moneish James-Baronette
Renzulli Gifted & Talented Academy Doreen Clapis
Sanchez School Janelle Edwards lyncj001@hartfordschools.org Aimara Perez
SAND School Jessica Darden dardj001@hartfordschools.org Rebecca Scheuer
Sport & Medical Sciences Academy Natasha Goode
Joshua Jones
goodn001@hartfordschools.org
Joshua.Jones@hartfordschools.org
Joshua Duenas
STEM Manget School at Annie Fisher Sophia Parchmont
University High School of Science & Engineering Ariana Cruz
Noah Webster Microsociety Magnet School Shantall Teran
West Middle School Colleen Grimes
Wish Museum School Ashley Williams Ashley.Williams@hartfordschools.org Jennifer Torres-Rodriguez
Weaver High School Laresse Cooper
Jessica Jackson Emris Warner Chandra Cherry
coopl002@hartfordschools.org
Jessica.Jackson@hartfordschools.org
emris.warner@hartfordschools.org
chaunda.cherry@hartfordschools.org
Sheree Matchen NiKole Watkins

Promoting Positive Culture

 

Beyond what they do in schools during the day to address absences, the SES staff also organize positive student engagement activities. Recent examples include pancake breakfasts or ice cream socials to celebrate students who have perfect attendance. “What we want to do also is encourage more activities where we bring parents in for an attendance celebration — activities to support building community, a culture of attendance within schools,” she said.

To dig deeper into the sources of student disengagement, the SES team plans to conduct focus groups with students, staff, and parents. A particularly innovative idea they are looking ahead to is organizing “Culture Walks” – or tours of schools to develop ideas to make campuses more welcoming.