Attendance Action Award

At Lorain Bilingual Academy, every school day counts — and our students, families, and staff proved it. In the 2024–25 school year, our K–8 school cut chronic absenteeism by 19.6 percentage points. That progress also earned LBA the Stay in the Game! Attendance Action Award, presented at the network’s annual conference.

It starts with relationships

Our approach to attendance isn’t about pressure. It’s about trust. We see parents as true partners in their child’s success, we support our teachers, and we bring our whole school community together around one simple idea: showing up matters.

“As a principal, I’ve seen firsthand the positive impact Stay in the Game! has had on our school community,” said Head of School Jay Saez. “Their partnership has helped us make attendance a priority, engaging families in meaningful ways and celebrating students for showing up each day.”

Celebrating with the Cleveland Browns

Through the Stay in the Game! Attendance Network, LBA partners with the Cleveland Browns. The partnership brings team-branded materials, activities, and even mascot visits to our school. Students who show up — and students who improve — get celebrated as Attendance All-Stars.

These moments make coming to school something to look forward to, and they do it without stretching a small school’s budget.

Learning together, tracking what works

LBA has been part of the Stay in the Game! Attendance Network for three years. Our team takes part in monthly peer learning sessions, where schools in the network share what’s working and solve challenges together.

We also rely on the network’s campaign Playbook, which puts our attendance goals and actual results side by side. It helps us see progress clearly and adjust our strategy throughout the year.

The result: recognition with the Stay in the Game! Attendance Action Award. You can read Battelle Education’s full case study on LBA here.

Thank you, LBA families

This achievement belongs to our families, students, and staff. Every morning drop-off, every encouraging word, and every celebration added up to real progress.

Want to see what makes LBA special? Schedule a tour or Start your enrollment today — we’d love to welcome your family.