The HERO initiative, which stands for Here, Everyday, Ready, On time, recognizes those students who commit to perfect attendance. Research shows that academic excellence is directly tied to attendance each day and I encourage all families to support your son to arrive every day. Every student can start earning their HERO braid any time throughout the year with any 30-day period of perfect attendance. The maroon braid requires a bit more commitment, a full quarter of perfect attendance. We have a handful of students wearing gold ropes representing a full academic year of perfect attendance.
Attendance is part of the fabric of our ethos at VFAQ; furthermore, we hold the President of VFMA in Pennsylvania, Colonel Helgeson’s words near to us and in our dialogue with students as a core value to success, “Be at the right place, at the right time, in the right uniform.”
But this year we have found that attendance is beyond simply arriving on time. This year it is about being present. Presence drills much deeper into the cognition of our staff and students—it’s part of our personal motivation to be in the moment, to engage. With that notion in mind, new initiatives are being formed by our Student Support Team and successful systems last year are being reviewed to push our community further.
Encourage your students to arrive fully prepared to engage with the day ahead of them, where they learn, communicate, adapt, collaborate, and practice kindness always.
