Cartwheels in the classroom? The creative way KCUSD is getting kids to come to class

At Riverview School, when you show up for class, it's celebrated.

When the entire class shows up, it's acknowledged by Principal Jodee Pinheiro-Smith with a perfect attendance sign on the door, pom poms and a cheer.

But what happens when a class has perfect attendance days three days in a row?

Well, the principal knew she had to come up with something special.

"There are lots of incentives that we do as educators, and I thought, 'Well, what is something I can do?'" Pinheiro-Smith said.

So she brought out the acrobatics, and the students ate it up.

"I was like, "Oh, wow." Because, I mean, I can't even do a very good cartwheel. I was very surprised. It was really fun," seventh-grade student Sarah Gipson said.

Gipson has perfect attendance, but she says it's nice to see the added perks, which also include five extra minutes at recess.

"I think it's really great because it really motivates people to get better attendance and to just show up," Gipson said.

The effort has already made a difference at Riverview School.

From the 22-23 school year to the 23-24 school year, chronic absenteeism, defined as students who miss at least 15 days of school in a year, decreased by 3%.

Data Systems and Accountability Coordinator, Sharon Matsuzaki, says across the Kings Canyon Unified School District, it decreased by 2% in the same timeframe.

"It is about 200 students district-wide, so that is significant," Matsuzaki said.

The district's efforts were acknowledged last year when they were one of 20 school districts in the state named a bright spot for having significantly lower, chronic absentee rates.

Now, they've been asked to take what they're doing to Washington, D.C.

"We've been invited to the White House to talk to a White House policy maker on chronic absenteeism, what we're doing with the data and how we're seeing or how we are getting the results that we get," Matsuzaki said.

For Principal Pinheiro-Smith, she says it's not only important that students are in class so they learn, but she hopes it builds their pride in coming to school.

"I think it's ownership too for them, and that knowing this is something that I can do. Maybe I struggle in some areas of academics, but I can show up to school on time every day," Pinheiro-Smith said.

District administrators will be in Washington, D.C. on September 19.

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