Show Up Campaign

Show Up Challenge

Holton Public Schools and Oakridge Public Schools are announcing a friendly competition called the "Show Up Challenge" for the 2025-2026 school year. 

The goal is simply to raise awareness about the importance of school attendance and to reduce chronic absenteeism in both districts. We want to celebrate students who consistently come to school ready to learn!

What is it?

A friendly competition to see which district can achieve the largest percentage reduction in its student chronic absenteeism rate.

When is the "challenge period"?

The challenge period runs from October 1, 2025, to April 30, 2026.

How does a district win?

The winner is calculated by comparing the chronic absenteeism rate from the 2024-2025 school year to the rate during the challenge period. The district with the biggest improvement wins!

What is Chronic Absenteeism?

For this challenge, it's defined as a student missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, including excused and unexcused absences. The focus isn't on perfect attendance, but on increasing the number of days students show up to school.

The Celebration

While this is a competition, we're focused on the positive and collaborative effort to improve student attendance. To celebrate, the runner-up district will host a special lunch for designated student representatives from the winning district. Students from both districts with 5 or fewer absences during the challenge period will be honored as "Designated Student Representatives". The host superintendent will publicly congratulate the winners and present their superintendent with the Show Up Challenge Winner trophy!

Trophy

Who will take home the trophy? Follow the Show Up Challenge announcements and/or this website to monitor progress!

How are we doing now?

We're making annual progress to reduce chronic absenteeism. We simply need to continue doing what we're doing to win the Show Up Challenge!

Will You Show Up?

Parents, students, local businesses, and the entire school district are asked to do all they can to help our students Show Up to school more often.  We simply ask you to support our kids in this effort. 

Are you willing to support our Show Up efforts? Please contact Tom Livezey, Superintendent at 231-788-7100 or via email @ tlivezey@oakridgeschools.org