It’s hard to remember everything about my middle or high school years – a few really amazing teachers, some awesome chemistry experiments, and having friends over after school to play Rock Band. But what I can tell you about are the school events that happened. Sports, dances, rallies, guest speakers, theme days… these are the memories that stay with me today.
So I got to thinking; what is it about school events that are so, well, amazing? And the simple answer is that it brings people together in one place at one time to celebrate one thing. It was those moments when you realized you were a part of something special and that you were connected.
I’ve asked many people in the education sector what they want when it comes to improving school events. Overwhelmingly, educators want to know that their events are providing benefit to their students. And they want to know who might be missing out.
Events provide an opportunity to bring the outliers in, to build school spirit and create a sense of belonging. Being able to measure anticipation, enjoyment, attendance and absences gives educators the power to make changes that can immediately have a positive effect on school culture. Imagine what can be achieved by being able to identify students who are continually missing out on these opportunities to integrate into the school body.
The last thing you want to hear is that a student forgot that school events were happening and them missing out. My school did a great job at keeping us reminded of the weeks activities. But I do know that if we had had a mobile events calendar then even more of us would have attended.
Social lives, academics and extracurriculars can be constant stressors in the lives of teenage students. Gentle event reminders and promotions can keep everyone engaged at school and contribute to a positive culture and climate. Let us show you how our amazing events calendar can start to connect your school on a whole new level.
