Family Enrichment Retreat

School Avoidance: It’s a System Problem, Not a Kid Problem
Jayne Demsky, CEO and Founder of the School Avoidance Alliance (SAA)

None of us expected to be here. Most of us didn’t anticipate the subtle shifts, the immense time and energy required for effective advocacy, or the realization that traditional schools may not be built for many of our kids. When a child pulls away from school, the issue isn’t the child; it’s that the system isn’t equipped to handle them.

Our kids have real needs, but those needs don’t make the kid “the problem.” The reality is that we’re trying to fit modern, complex lives into an outdated school model. After a decade of working in the trenches with families and districts, I want to share some insider insight into what the state of our schools really looks like in America, and why this mismatch is a systemic failure, not a reflection of your parenting.

We’ll cut through the noise to define what school avoidance actually looks like today and how to bridge the gap to whatever “next” looks like for your family. Whether you are focused on the progress here at Green Chimneys or thinking about an eventual transition, you’ll leave with a clearer roadmap, some solid advocacy tools, and the realization that you don’t have to carry the weight of a system that wasn’t designed for your child in the first place.

• Parking available in Green Chimneys Gym Lot and Otter Lot, across Doansburg Road. Transportation will not be provided to/from the event.
• Green Chimneys students – and siblings – must remain with their family for the entirety of the event.
• All children in attendance will have organized recreation activities during the guest speaker session.
• No pets allowed.