District-wide campaign encourages student engagement, celebrates school spirit, and rewards positive outcomes.
Fairfield, CA (May 9, 2025) - The Student and Family Services Department in Fairfield-Suisun Unified School District (FSUSD) brought the excitement of March Madness to its campuses – with a twist! Schools across the district participated in the inaugural FSUSD March Madness Attendance & Positive Behavior Challenge, a five-week-long initiative designed to boost student attendance, encourage positive behavior, and improve school climate. Modeled after the NCAA basketball tournament, the campaign promoted friendly competition between FSUSD school sites through weekly challenges and rewards.
Inspired by the energy and competitive spirit of the NCAA basketball tournament, this campaign encouraged school sites to compete in four focus areas: attendance, behavior incentives, restorative corrections, and deterrence/prevention education. Schools earned points weekly by meeting specific goals such as reducing chronic absenteeism, increasing average daily attendance (ADA), implementing school-wide behavior rewards, and sharing key messages with families about the importance of attendance and expectations.
"March can feel like the longest month of the school year for both students and staff," said Antonio Gipson, FSUSD Attendance Support Specialist. "This campaign is a fun, engaging way to keep momentum going while building stronger connections across our campuses."
Each week, schools earned points, and the challenge offered significant incentives for participating schools. First place received $5,000 and a catered student lunch, with additional cash prizes awarded for second place ($2,500), third place ($1,500), and the overall total point winner ($1,000). Schools can use these funds for classroom supplies, student incentives, family engagement events, and more.
“The true reward in this innovative program is fostering a culture where students feel welcomed, supported, and motivated to succeed,” said Superintendent Jennifer Sachs.
Fairview Elementary Principal, Ms. Wills shared, “This competition was so much fun - our school community thoroughly enjoyed participating in this campaign, and we saw the difference it made!”
After five weeks of fierce competition, FSUSD proudly announced the winners of the challenge. Early College High School was crowned District Champion, with Sheldon Academy taking second place, Fairview Elementary in third, and Virtual Academy earning top total points. Beyond the trophies and prizes, the true victory was the district-wide impact: increased attendance, stronger school culture, more restorative practices, and zero expulsions in March.
“This is what happens when students, staff, and families rally together with a shared purpose,” said Jessica Reed, FSUSD’s Assistant Director in the Student and Family Services Department and the tournament organizer. “It’s about more than just winning, it’s about reconnecting with our students, reenergizing our school communities, and reinforcing the message that showing up and engaging every day matters.”
By using a mix of fun, friendly competition, strategic interventions, and sharing best practices school-to-school, the district hopes to make lasting improvements in attendance, behavior, and student engagement. Though the tournament has ended, FSUSD encourages its schools to keep the momentum going by continuing to promote positive behavior, celebrate progress, and create joyful, inclusive learning environments through the end of the school year.
