David Heyne will present on a tiered intervention model that is based on the importance of creating positive contexts in schools, researching the reasons why students are absent and using data to take effective measures for each case. The co-founder of the International School Attendance Network will be the main presenter of "Creating Opportunity: International School Attendance Seminar" of Fundación Educacional Oportunidad, which will be held on April 17 at the University of San Sebastian.
David Heyne has over 30 years of experience working to address truancy. He is a co-founder of the International School Attendance Network (INSA) and on April 17 he will be in Chile to share his intervention model that has been successful in reversing this global problem from which our country is not exempt.
Heyne will be the main presenter of "Creating Opportunity: International School Attendance Seminar" of Fundación Educacional Oportunidad to be held at the Universidad San Sebastián (Bellavista campus).
The specialist model is based on 3 levels of intervention. The first includes the formation of an attendance team, the creation of a positive climate in schools and the strengthening of relationships with students' families. At the next level, the team should investigate the reasons for emergent absences and respond with personalized interventions. In the event that attendance problems continue, the third level is moved to the third level where the use of data to make decisions is critical, including collaboration with community partners to address the non-school factors that contribute to absenteeism.
"Today in Chile we have enormous challenges in terms of attendance, especially in preschool education, where figures show that there was an average of 69.5% attendance from March to November 2023, which represents missing more than two months of classes," explained Marcela Marzolo, executive director of Fundación Educacional Oportunidad. He then added that "this is why David's perspective is fundamental and we want to make available to decision-makers and management and educational teams a model that is effective and that has yielded results."
In addition to the presentation of the international expert, the event will feature a panel discussion in which the executive secretary of the Educational Reactivation Plan of the Ministry of Education, Joaquín Walker, will participate, along with representatives of organizations such as the Corporation for Children of Santiago, Fundación Cristo Vive, Luft Salud and the gaze of one of the parents who traveled to NASA for the contest "Make them Take Off".
ASSISTANCE STRATEGIES WORKSHOP
In the afternoon, and with 60 exclusive places, a workshop will be held that will consist of the presentation of the strategies that the Assistance program of Fundación Educacional Oportunidad has carried out for more than 10 years to promote a culture of assistance, from a preventive approach and co-responsibility of the entire educational community.
These strategies are linked to the intervention model presented at the seminar, which will provide concrete input to be applied in educational establishments.
Strategies can also be practiced to invite parents in group or individual meetings to reduce the days of absence from classes as much as possible. Finally, strategies will be shared so that management and room teams can analyze data with an eye on the attendance of each child.
HOW TO PARTICIPATE
Those who wish to participate in the event, either in person or by connecting to the YouTube broadcast, must register at https://creandooportunidad.cl/
