Educational support company marks Black History Month with effort to combat absenteeism
- Heather Harman
- Feb 25
- 2 min read
BALTIMORE — A Baltimore-based company is going the extra mile to make sure Baltimore students are attending and engaging in school.
On Tuesday, Concentric Educational Solutions launched its first-ever "Run the City Attendance Campaign."
"Whether by foot, driving, scooting, biking, whatever is required, we are going to do the work to make sure that our students in Baltimore City are getting the education that they deserve," said Miles Armstrong, the company's director of school programming and engagement delivery.
The team collectively travels more than 50 miles by scooter in one day to connect with families across Baltimore City to address chronic absenteeism.
"Absenteeism all throughout the year is a challenge, but absenteeism when it is cold, when it is inclement weather, when there are competing factors, we have to raise awareness, but more importantly, say, 'OK, how do we not just combat chronic absenteeism, but how do we increase student engagement?'" said David Heiber, the company's CEO and founder.
Concentric Educational Solutions is an educational support company that partners with Baltimore City Public Schools and schools across the country to fight chronic absenteeism and remove barriers to student success. Heiber's team does home visits year-round, but he wanted to launch the "Run the City Attendance Campaign" to raise awareness during Black History Month.
"Before integration, where families and students and teachers lived right next door to each other, home visits were nothing new," Heiber told 11 News. "It's what we had to do. It was a village, so I wanted to kind of take it back to its core."
Heiber's team stopped at 15 locations in Baltimore City on Tuesday, including Forest Park High, Edmondson-Westside High, Carver Vocational-Technical High, Booker T. Washington Middle, Benjamin Franklin High, Highlandtown Elementary\Middle, Patterson High, Reginald F. Lewis High, Mergenthaler Vocational-Technical High, Henderson-Hopkins, National Academy Foundation, REACH! Partnership and Cecil Elementary schools, as well as the Vivien T. Thomas Medical Arts Academy and the Re-Engagement Center.
The tour stopped by several homes in surrounding neighborhoods to knock on doors, visit with families and engage with school leaders and Baltimore City Council members along the way.
"Once you hone in and get that attendance piece together, you are going to see so much more success for our students," said Baltimore City Council Vice President Sharon Green Middleton, D-District 6.
It's a level of success that starts with people willing to go the extra mile for students.
"It's really one-door-at-a-time understanding of what students and families go through," Heiber told 11 News.
Heiber said he and his team plan to continue this tradition in the future. Visit their website for more information on Concentric Educational Solutions.
Read original story in full here.