A group of kindergarten students at Mount Vernon Woods Elementary School recently participated in the school’s first UNO! tournament, an event designed to promote consistent school attendance. The tournament included students from all grade levels who achieved perfect attendance during Attendance Spirit Week in February.
The initiative is part of Mount Vernon Woods’ efforts to support regular attendance, which is highlighted as a key factor for academic success in the Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) Strategic Plan’s Goal 2: Safe, Supported, Included, and Empowered.
Priscilla Guevara, a school social worker and member of the attendance committee, introduced the idea for the tournament. “We want children to feel wanted here and know that we miss them when they are not in school for whatever reason that may be,” Guevara said. She added, “Staff was brainstorming ideas, and we thought an UNO! tournament could be a fun way to engage the students and incentivize them to come to school each day.”
During Attendance Spirit Week, all students with perfect attendance were entered into a drawing. About 20 students from each grade were chosen to compete in groups of four. Winners advanced through rounds until one student per grade emerged as champion. Grade-level winners received posters to display on their classroom doors.
The event also provided opportunities for younger students to reinforce lessons about colors and numbers while learning social skills such as taking turns and handling both victory and defeat.
Fourth grader Mia commented on her commitment to attending school: “The only reason to stay home is if I am sick because coming to school is important.” Kindergarten student Zuri shared similar feelings: “Of course it’s important to come to school because we have to learn!”
Mount Vernon Woods continues using various approaches like this tournament to build community engagement and encourage regular attendance among its students.
