Understanding and Addressing School Avoidance Through a Three-Tiered Approach (Series Begins Nov. 17, 2025)

For this webinar series, participants will automatically be enrolled in all 5 sessions.

Speaker

Lisa A. Kingkade, LMHC, M.Ed.

Description

This professional development series equips school staff with the knowledge and tools needed to effectively address school avoidance and absenteeism. Spanning five sessions, the series begins by exploring the root causes of school avoidance—including psychological, social, familial, and academic factors—while emphasizing the need for empathy and deeper understanding. It then introduces a tiered intervention model: Tier 1 focuses on universal, school-wide strategies to create a positive and inclusive school culture; Tier 2 addresses the needs of at-risk students through data-informed interventions and collaboration with mental health professionals; and Tier 3 provides intensive, individualized support for students experiencing chronic absenteeism, including partnerships with external agencies. The final session highlights the importance of engaging families and communities as active partners, offering culturally responsive practices and strategies to build strong, supportive networks that promote consistent school attendance.

Participants must attend all 5 sessions and successfully pass a quiz following Session 5 to receive PDPs and CEUs. Within 24 hours of the live webinar, registrants will be emailed a link to view the recorded webinar. The recording will be made available for 7 days after each session.

This session will review various factors contributing to school avoidance. We will examine psychological issues like anxiety, depression, and trauma, which can make students feel overwhelmed and social factors such as bullying, peer pressure, and isolation often contribute to students’ reluctance to attend school. Additionally, Family-related barriers, including lack of support and transportation challenges, can further hinder attendance. Academic struggles and the fear of falling behind can also lead to avoidance due to embarrassment or failure. By the end of the session, staff will be equipped to identify these complex issues and approach school avoidance with greater empathy and understanding.

Tier 1 focuses on creating a positive school culture that promotes regular attendance for all students. Through actionable strategies, staff will learn how to create a welcoming, inclusive environment where every student feels valued, supported, and encouraged to attend school regularly. One critical strategy is the incorporation of social-emotional learning (SEL) programs, which help students build resilience and develop positive relationships with their peers and teachers. School-wide attendance policies that emphasize positive reinforcement, such as recognizing and celebrating good attendance, can also motivate students to show up consistently. This session will equip staff to implement universal strategies that foster an environment of engagement, belonging, and regular attendance.

In this session, we will dive into strategies for supporting students who are at risk of chronic absenteeism. Tier 2 involves implementing targeted interventions for students showing early signs of school avoidance or irregular attendance. Staff will learn how to identify these students using data and early warning systems, and then design specific interventions, such as small-group support or check-in/check-out systems. Additionally, the session will cover the importance of working closely with counselors, mental health professionals, and other school staff to address underlying issues like anxiety or trauma. Effective communication with families is also a crucial component of Tier 2, as schools must collaborate with parents or guardians to ensure that barriers to attendance are addressed and overcome.

This session will focus on providing intensive, individualized support to students experiencing chronic absenteeism where a more personalized approach is necessary. Staff will learn how to develop individualized attendance improvement plans that are tailored to the specific needs of each student, taking into account factors like mental health, family circumstances, and academic challenges. Collaboration with external agencies, such as social services or mental health providers, will also be covered to ensure that students receive the support they need both inside and outside of school. This session will also discuss the importance of using restorative practices to address the root causes of school avoidance and rebuild trust with students and their families, ensuring a comprehensive and empathetic approach to chronic absenteeism.

This session will discuss ways to build strong partnerships with families. Effective communication between the school and home is key to creating solutions, and involving community resources can provide additional support for families dealing with challenges. Strategies for empowering parents to actively engage in their children’s education and attendance will be explored, including how to approach diverse families with cultural sensitivity. Actionable strategies to engage families and community organizations in supporting improved attendance will be provided.

About the Speaker

Lisa Kingkade, LMHC, M.Ed., (she/her) is a dedicated educational leader with over two decades of experience in supporting the social and emotional well-being of students. Until recently, she worked within the Milford Public Schools system, where she held a variety of key roles, including adjustment counselor at Milford High School, Assistant Principal of Stacy Middle School, Assistant Principal of Woodland, and ultimately, Director of Social Emotional Learning. Throughout her career, Lisa demonstrated a strong commitment to equity, serving also as the District McKinney-Vento/Foster Care Liaison, 504 District Coordinator, and Civil Rights Coordinator, working to ensure all students had access to the resources they needed to succeed. 

Membership Information

Most MPY webinars are available ONLY to current staff from member districts and organizations. Public school memberships include police and fire personnel. Former and retired employees and members of committees, including but not limited to, PTO/PTA, PAC, School Improvement Councils, Health Councils, Drug/Alcohol Councils, and school volunteers, are not considered MPY members.

PDPs and CEUs

MPY is an approved Professional Development Provider through the Massachusetts Department of Elementary & Secondary Education (Provider No. F20180079). Professional Development Points (PDPs) are offered for most MPY professional development webinars. PDPs are issued in 10 hour increments, per DESE requirements.

Continuing Education Units (CEUs) are available for clinical staff through the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) and the Massachusetts Mental Health Counselors Association, Inc. (MaMHCA). The NASW and the MaMHCA approve each event individually. CEUs may be given in hourly increments.

To receive PDPs and CEUs, participants must pass the quiz.

Event Cancellation Policy

If you are unable to attend a MPY webinar you must cancel, through Bonnie Mullen at bonnie@mpyinc.org, one business day before the webinar.

For MPY hybrid conferences, the date in-person registration closes will be posted on MPY’s website. Virtual conference registration will close one business day before the hybrid conference. You cannot cancel or switch your registration from in-person to virtual after in-person registration closes. Please email Bonnie Mullen at bonnie@mpyinc.org with any questions regarding registration.

 

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All sessions are 9:30 am – 11:30 am.

  • Session 1: November 17, 2025, Understanding the Root Causes of School Avoidance
  • Session 2: November 24, 2025, Implementing Tier 1: Universal School-Wide Strategies for Prevention
  • Session 3: December 1, 2025, Implementing Tier 2: Targeted Interventions for At-Risk Students
  • Session 4: December 8, 2025, Implementing Tier 3: Intensive, Individualized Support for Chronically Absent Students
  • Session 5: December 15, 2025, Engaging Families and Communities to Support School Attendance