Two educators from Auburn High School recently shared their work supporting students at the annual conference hosted by Illinois Coalition for Educating At-Risk Youth (ICEARY).
Principal Ryan Nachreiner and Behavior Interventionist Jeremy Coleman presented to educators from across the state about Auburn’s Lean On Me program, a relationship-based approach designed to help students stay engaged in school before attendance issues become chronic.
The ICEARY conference, held in Bloomington, brought together approximately 750 educators and professionals who work with students in both traditional and alternative school settings. The annual event focuses on strategies, services, and culturally responsive practices that help schools meet students where they are and support meaningful academic growth.
Coleman, an Auburn alumnus, created the Lean On Me program after reviewing school data shared during a fall institute day that revealed a significant disparity in freshman-on-track rates and graduation outcomes for Black and African American students. Motivated by what he described as a personal call to action, Coleman developed the program to intervene early with students beginning to disengage from school.
Lean On Me is a Tier II attendance prevention program designed for students who show early warning signs such as class avoidance, inconsistent attendance, or behavioral concerns but who have not yet become chronically truant.
Rather than focusing on compliance or relying heavily on incentives or parent contact, the program centers on relationships. Students are paired with a trained adult “Champion” who meets with them weekly for structured conversations that address the underlying causes of disengagement.
These check-ins focus on helping students build self-awareness, navigate peer and adult conflict, and remain present in class even during challenging situations. Champions use culturally responsive language and school-specific practices to help students develop skills such as interpreting social cues, managing academic stress, and seeking help rather than avoiding class.
Incentives in the program are used to recognize growth and consistency rather than control behavior, and family communication is supportive rather than punitive.
By building trust, belonging, and internal accountability, Lean On Me aims to reduce class skipping, strengthen engagement, and prevent students from progressing to chronic truancy or more intensive Tier III interventions.
Nachreiner and Coleman’s presentation highlighted how Auburn staff are working proactively to support students and ensure every learner has the tools, relationships, and confidence needed to succeed in school.