So much attention focuses on student achievement and how teachers can teach better and students can learn more.  But, that is only one aspect of the living organism that is school. There is an abundance of contributing factors to whether students reach academic success; whether they are living in poverty, suffering with mental or physical illness, have learning challenges or differences, have fallen behind, have supportive home lives, were read to as toddlers, have attended youth sports leagues outside of school, are well matched with their teachers, are new to the district or have moved often. The list is endless.  Sometimes we can have the ability to counter those interfering factors with attention and intervention. Read more...