Foothills Community School
Improving Attendance Through Targeted Strategies
Improving Attendance Through Targeted Strategies
Foothills Community School (FCS) in McDowell County, North Carolina, has built a reputation for excellence in STEM education. Since opening in 2016, the school has embraced Project-Based Learning (PBL) to create an engaging and hands-on learning environment. In 2023, the North Carolina Board of Education recognized FCS as a North Carolina STEM School of Distinction, a testament to its commitment to innovation in education.
The percentage of students on the attendance watchlist dropped from over 50% to just 6% in just one year
The number of students with perfect attendance increased from 73 to 95 within a school year, even after a devastating hurricane.
within one year, FCS saw a 30% rise in the number of students consistently attending school, thanks to personalized interventions and positive reinforcement.
Despite its success, the school faced a critical challenge—attendance. Too many students were missing school regularly, putting their academic progress and sense of belonging at risk. Led by Principal Nakia Carson and a dedicated team including Hank Hunt, Tosha Ramsey, and Katie McFarland, FCS partnered with Schools That Lead to address this issue using improvement science.
THE GOAL
Reduce chronic absenteeism and improve student engagement by implementing data-driven strategies that encourage attendance.
THE SOLUTION
The FCS team identified key strategies from a "change package"—a collection of evidence-based interventions designed to improve attendance. Their approach focused on three core actions:
Proactive Parent Communication – The school began reaching out to parents as soon as a student accumulated more than two absences in a quarter, using a supportive approach to emphasize the importance of regular attendance.
Personalized Attendance Success Plans – For students needing additional support, teachers and counselors collaborated to create individualized plans, ensuring each student received the resources and encouragement needed to attend school consistently.
Mentorship and Relationship Building – Staff members "adopted" students struggling with attendance, making an intentional effort to check in with them throughout the school day, including before and after class and during lunch.
Additionally, the school leveraged its house system—where students earn points for their respective houses—to incentivize perfect attendance. In March 2023, they introduced a "spin the wheel" reward system, allowing students with perfect attendance to win house points. The initiative quickly gained traction, motivating students to be present every day.
FCS saw remarkable progress in attendance rates:
At the start of the 2023-24 school year, more than 50% of students were on the attendance watchlist. By year’s end, this number dropped to 13.3%—and in the second year, only 6% of students struggled with attendance.
The number of students achieving perfect attendance increased from 73 to 95, even in the wake of a devastating hurricane in western NC.
The school strengthened student engagement and community involvement, reinforcing the connection between attendance and academic success.
By implementing data-driven strategies and fostering personal connections, FCS transformed its attendance culture, ensuring more students showed up, engaged, and ready to learn.
