The phrase “it takes a village to raise a child” is less of a motto and more of an actionable plan at Helen Keller Elementary School.
Since becoming a Community School in the 2023-24 school year, Helen Keller’s team of educators and administrators – including Attendance Tech Annette Barrios Lopez, Case Manager Grace Funes and Community Liaison Oliver Gomez – have focused on reducing chronic absenteeism by supporting families and strengthening community ties one day at a time.
Community Schools have been found to offer a promising approach to this challenge by providing strong support systems and fostering a positive learning environment. Helen Keller’s multi-layered approach begins with proactive strategies.
Barrios Lopez interacts daily with students and analyzes data to spot attendance patterns, allowing the team to address issues early. Funes collaborates with community partners to create a supportive learning environment that ensures every child feels valued and motivated to attend school regularly, connecting families to District and school resources. Gomez builds community relationships that foster consistent attendance. Their collaborative efforts to support families and improve attendance were recently highlighted in a Learning Policy Institute report.
The team connects directly with families through phone calls for absences and home visits, reinforcing the family’s role in the school community. To build strong bonds, Helen Keller hosts parent workshops, promotes volunteer opportunities and encourages participation in school events. The school also partners with local organizations to address attendance barriers like housing and mental health, ensuring every student is supported and ready to learn.
The dedicated efforts at Helen Keller Elementary exemplify the wider commitment across all 17 Lynwood Unified campuses, which are all Community Schools. Each school actively works to reduce chronic absenteeism through strategic collaboration and community partnerships, ensuring every student can thrive in a supportive learning environment and attend school consistently.