Even with an attendance rate over 94% this first quarter LCPS is making efforts to improve attendance at Dominion by bringing in additional help from non-profit organization Communities in Schools NOVA.
LCPS has signed on site contractors Charlie McAdams and Adwoa-Ankomah-Asiedu from Communities in Schools NOVA, an organization that works with students to achieve success in academics and emotionally.
“Communities In Schools NOVA is a national organization that is in different affiliates throughout different states, our goal is to help students improve their attendance, their behavior, their grades, and their social emotional health,” Asiedu Said.
Asiedu had worked for this organization for six years and worked for schools in Norfolk, as well as Prince William County. McAdams has been working with Communities In Schools NOVA and has worked in Prince William County.
Absidu and Mcadams are not LCPS employees so they can provide a different perspective from counselors and other Dominion staff. “Sometimes it’s just easier to lie to adults in the building because they don’t have the time to sit down and listen, and Mr.Charlie and I come in,”Asiedu said.
They plan to add different perceptions and be an additional support system. “You can be candid with me and I’m not going to go running to the main office, unless it is a specific safety concern,” McAdams noted.
They plan to start support groups of about 10 people where students can discuss their emotions with a specific interest attached to them. Asiedu is starting a group where kids learn to sew, and McAdams is starting a group where kids can exercise and do homework called Hoops and Homework.
They are still learning in an observation period and learning about Dominion. “We are still in the observation phase because we never worked in Loudoun before, we lived in Loudoun before. Each district is different,” Asiedu stated.
“Our goal is to just bring that spark of joy into the school building , we want to give kids a reason to come to school. Sometimes it is not enough saying you have to be here because of grades and you want a high school diploma, “Adisu expressed.
