After School Programs Positively Impact Student Motivation

Building Connection and Belonging at Springfield Prep

The challenge of chronic absenteeism in schools following the pandemic has been well documented. At Springfield Prep, we have worked to address this challenge in various ways, including by increasing connection and belonging through our after-school enrichment programming. Our Dean of Culture, Basketball and Football Coach Dionna Boyd, was a key contributor to the development of our after-school programs and talks about the impact of our after-school programs on student success both inside and outside of the classroom:

“When I started working here in 2021, I noticed that many of our kids were going home and spending time on electronics, and that many of our families couldn’t afford for their kids to participate in outside extracurricular programs.

I wanted to give our students more opportunities to be on teams and find their passions, so we developed a basketball program and dance team. These were so popular with students and families that every year we have added more art, music, clubs, and teams. Last year, we had a theater production and a Chinese language class, and this year we added soccer, football, and guitar lessons.”

We've observed that students are coming to school—or returning to school after a doctor’s appointment—in part because they do not want to miss their after-school program. In order to participate in enrichment programming, students must be in good standing academically and behaviorally. Coach Boyd has helped develop “student contracts” to leverage program access in exchange for student buy-in in the classroom.

“We use student-athlete contracts to make sure our scholars are representing our school to the best of their ability. We have a team that comes up with a personalized plan for any kids that are struggling. For example, one seventh-grader who was performing behind grade level in class and having daily behavioral issues agreed to get teachers’ signatures every day before he could attend basketball practice. He made marked improvements in classroom attention and performance and graduated with his class. Because these contracts have been so effective, we added an additional after-school conditioning program in the spring to give our kids another reason to come to school and meet teachers’ expectations in class.”

With over 20 programs for more than 300 students, we are committing to addressing attendance challenges and promoting students’ development and success through after-school enrichment.