Teachers visit for the holidays

Horizon Science Academy of Lorain staff members have surprised their students and their families with holiday home visits since the Thanksgiving break.

And the visits will continue into the New Year.

The staff members team up into smaller groups within the school, divide up a list of the student body and then begin to spread holiday cheer.

Jayson Bendik, assistant principal of operations and community engagement coordinator at Horizon Science Academy, said staff members visit the residences to share sweet treats, say “hello” and give a friendly “thank you” to the families for their partnership with the academy.

Bendik said since Thanksgiving, staff have visited 600 houses and are still working to reach the homes of the more than 700 student-body before the holiday season is over.

“Parents have been so inviting and the students are shocked to see their teacher at their doors,” Bendik said. “We’ve done the home visits before, but in terms of a school-wide effort, this is new for us.

“We really challenge our staff to go above and beyond to engage with parents and say thank you.”

The entire Horizon Science Academy team visits families every year to make investments in the community and build lifelong relationships, Bendik said.

Staff are required to eight home visits a year, but they wanted to continue the tradition into the holiday season, he said.

The home visits can make a positive impact on students, Bendik said.

The areas impacted are increased student attendance rates, increased student test scores and decreased discipline issues.

Bendik said these visits are a best practice for positive effects that is research proven.

He then referred to a quote by Hellen Keller, “The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even heard, but must be felt with the heart.”

Horizon Science Academy embodies this belief and showcases this type of message by honoring the relationships they have with their school community, Bendik said.