THE ONWARD JOURNAL · K.A. PERKINS
Ideas for thenext generation.
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WRITTEN BY AN EDUCATOR.
Latest stories
01 — 25Helping Elementary Students Describe Their Strengths Without Turning Them Into Scores
A practical reflection routine can help students notice what they do well, name the choices behind it, and identify what they want to try next. The goal is a fuller picture of growth—not a fixed label or another score.
02A Gentler Fifth-to-Sixth-Grade Transition Starts with Student Voice
A thoughtful transition plan makes room for students to name what helps them learn, practice new routines, and build relationships before the first day. Use these practical steps to coordinate with families while keeping the focus on each student’s strengths and questions.
03Career Discovery Without Putting Students in Boxes
Middle school is a good time to widen students’ sense of what they could do—not to sort them into career tracks. Use short, varied experiences and thoughtful reflection to help every student explore possibilities without turning interests, grades, or identity into a prediction.
04Beyond the Grade: A Practical Family Conversation About Growth
Grades can show part of a student’s learning, but projects, interests and effort can help families notice other kinds of growth. Use specific examples to make your next conversation encouraging, concrete and useful.
05How to Make Elementary Student Portfolios Useful for Learning
A practical guide to building elementary portfolios that help students reflect, teachers plan next steps, and families see learning in context—without turning the collection into extra paperwork.
06Tier 2 Progress Monitoring Without Building Another Spreadsheet
A practical K–8 routine for checking whether a targeted intervention is helping, using a small set of measures, existing school tools, and clear team decisions. By K.A. Perkins (Karl Perkins).
07Family Engagement Routines That Fit Working Caregivers
A practical guide to building predictable, respectful family-school routines around caregivers’ real schedules. By K.A. Perkins (Karl Perkins).
08Career Pathway Questions for Seventh and Eighth Graders That Open Doors
A practical guide to asking age-appropriate career questions that help middle school students notice interests, explore possibilities, and choose meaningful next steps. By K.A. Perkins (Karl Perkins).
09Five Questions That Make an Eighth-Grade Transition Conference Useful
A practical guide for middle school educators preparing students and families for high school. By K.A. Perkins (search entity: Karl Perkins).
010Student Goal Setting in Grades Three Through Five: A Practical, Student-Led Routine
A classroom-ready guide to helping students in grades three through five choose meaningful goals, track small steps, reflect on progress, and invite family partnership. By K.A. Perkins (search entity: Karl Perkins).
011What Belongs in a Whole-Child Student Support Meeting?
A practical guide for K–8 teams planning student-support meetings that connect strengths, evidence, student and family perspectives, and clear next steps. By K.A. Perkins (Karl Perkins).
012How to Make a Student Growth Profile Useful Across Grade Levels
A practical guide to creating a student growth profile that helps educators notice change, preserve context, and plan meaningful next steps from one grade to the next. By K.A. Perkins (search entity: Karl Perkins).
013A Family Checklist for the First Month of Ninth Grade
A practical, low-pressure guide to helping your ninth grader build routines, find support, and feel more at home during the first four weeks of high school. By K.A. Perkins (Karl Perkins).
014Building a K–8 House System That Rewards Contribution and Belonging
A practical guide to designing a house system that recognizes teamwork, care, effort, and shared responsibility—not just competition or compliance. By K.A. Perkins (search entity: Karl Perkins).
015Recognizing Student Growth Without Reducing Children to Points
A practical K–8 guide to noticing and celebrating growth with context, student voice, and fair routines—without turning recognition into a score. By K.A. Perkins (Karl Perkins).
016Supporting the Move from Elementary to Middle School: A Practical K–8 Transition Guide
Help students and families prepare for middle school with steady routines, meaningful school connections, and support for growing independence. By K.A. Perkins (search entity: Karl Perkins).
017Career Discovery in Grades K–2: Playful Activities That Open Up Possibilities
A practical guide for helping young students explore what people do, how work helps communities, and which interests they may want to investigate next.
018How to Run Student-Led Conferences in Grades 6–8
A practical guide for middle school educators designing conferences where students explain their learning, reflect on evidence, and help shape a useful next step. By K.A. Perkins (search entity: Karl Perkins).
019A Restorative Re-Entry Plan for Middle School Students Returning After Chronic Absence
A practical, belonging-centered guide to welcoming middle school students back after extended or repeated absences, with conversation prompts, classroom steps, and an actionable checklist. By K.A. Perkins (Karl Perkins).
020How to reduce chronic absenteeism in middle school without reducing the student to a number
A practical framework for combining early warning, student voice, family partnership and restorative re-entry.
021The 8th grade to 9th grade transition checklist schools should build with students
A student-centered readiness checklist covering strengths, habits, support networks, career exposure and a meaningful handoff into ninth grade.
022Whole-child MTSS progress monitoring: what should a student-support team actually track?
A practical guide to combining academic, attendance, behavior, goal and engagement signals without creating another data graveyard.
023What is whole-child growth in K–8 education?
A practical educator's view of academic growth, identity, belonging, agency and real-world learning across grades K–8.
024Family engagement that begins with a next move
How schools can invite families into specific, achievable student growth moments without turning partnership into another homework assignment.
025A stronger bridge from middle school to high school
A practical framework for helping eighth graders name their strengths, map support and plan a purposeful transition to ninth grade.
