Faculty and staff at Blasdell Elementary School transformed a typical morning drop-off into a high-energy celebration, launching the school’s first Attendance Surprise Day to reinforce the impact of daily classroom participation.

Students arriving by bus were greeted by teachers and staff members waving pom-poms, playing upbeat music, and cheering as they entered the building. The celebration was designed to show the student body, affectionately known as the Blasdell Bees, how much their presence is valued.

“Really, the purpose of this day is to make sure the students know how happy we are that they’re here every day and that attendance really counts,” said Blasdell Elementary Principal Shannon Thurston.

The surprise initiative aligns with the school’s multi-year theme, “We Are Family,” which aims to ensure all students feel supported, loved, and connected the moment they step onto campus.

Thurston emphasized that regular school attendance provides critical benefits that extend far beyond traditional academic metrics.

“Attendance is so important for many reasons,” Thurston said. “I would say first and foremost would be the connection and the relationship building with the teachers and also their peers, and that just makes it much better, more of a sense of belonging. And of course, that lends itself to student achievement.”

The excitement extended into the classrooms, where every student received a “Bee Box” token worth 10 points. Students at Blasdell regularly collect these tokens for positive behavior and attendance, trading them in for various prizes at the school’s “Hive Store.”

Seeing the morning’s positive reactions and smiles from the students validates the administrative team’s ongoing efforts to prioritize campus culture, Thurston noted.

“That’s everything,” Thurston said regarding the student response. “When the kids are walking in and they see the smiles and they get the hugs and they’re just seeing from all the adults how happy that we are to see them, it just emphasizes that theme even more and makes them feel special and loved.”

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