Cohort 1 📍 Region 4

Page County’s chronic absenteeism rates told a consistent story across the division’s eight schools. One in five students were chronically absent, and the division recognized the need for a coordinated approach. All eight schools share one framework, one community partner, and one goal. Rather than hiring new staff, the division pays stipends to existing teachers to serve as coordinators at each building, putting the work in the hands of people who already know the students and families.

Seven of the eight schools operate clothing closets, food pantries, laundry rooms, and school supply programs to make sure students arrive not just present, but ready to learn. Through a series of events, the division engaged thousands of attendees, from community read-alouds at the elementary level to a college campus visit for middle schoolers. The programming spans the full K–12 range, demonstrating how a single goal can drive division-wide commitment.