Creating a Culture of Being Present
We Got Goals In Action!
Shelneka Adams-Marsalone is the Founder and Lead Consultant of We Got Goals, LLC, where her primary focus is assisting schools and organizations in "Creating a Culture of Being Present." Her areas of expertise include attendance improvement, addressing chronic absenteeism, reducing school and workplace avoidance behaviors, strengthening relationships, and enhancing family engagement. She developed RESET (Restoring Every Student, Every Teacher) to specifically address suspension as a factor contributing to chronic absence. She is committed to ensuring equitable access to education for all children and supports families in understanding their options when advocating for their students. Additionally, she provides professional development and technical assistance at both the national and international levels through her platform.
Previously, as a state education consultant, she oversaw the implementation of projects and facilitated gatherings focused on reducing chronic absence and increasing family engagement. She delivered in-person professional development sessions across system and state levels on topics such as "Kindergarten Is Not An Option, It's An Opportunity," "Family Engagement: A Strategic Approach," and "AED: Helping Schools Re-establish an Effective Rhythm Through Attendance, Engagement, and Discipline."
In her role as Director of Development, Communications, and Training at Attendance USA, she supports efforts to address chronic absenteeism nationwide. Her work involves connecting researchers, practitioners, organizations, and other stakeholders to promote improved school attendance and engagement. She trains staff at the state, district, and school levels, and disseminates current research, best practices, and relevant information to support professionals in the field.​
Are you ready to Create a Culture of Being Present? Contact us today!
2025 East Baton Rouge Parish School System Attendance Summit
Opening Keynote
Baton Rouge, LA - The implementation of multi-tiered systems of support (MTSS) has assisted numerous school systems in identifying attendance barriers and developing initiatives to support students and families. Although some improvements in attendance have been observed, these gains are often not sustained over time. Keynote Speaker Shelneka Adams-Marsalone has developed a comprehensive training program centered on her RESET framework—Restore, Engage, Support, Empower, and Team-Up—to effectively assist educational and organizational leaders, attendance, engagement, and discipline professionals, families, and community support networks. In this interactive keynote session, participants assess the effectiveness of communication and engagement strategies at each tier within their schools, identify strengths and areas for improvement in their current approaches, and develop actionable plans to enhance attendance and engagement strategies moving forward.
2025 Leadership EDIT Conference
Opening Keynote
Kansas City, MO - During this event participants/stakeholders were given a "Leadership RESET!" Shelneka delivered the Opening Keynote where she shared her journey from supporting one school, to a school system, to a community, to a state, to then national and international initiatives around school attendance, engagement, and discipline all within 5 years time. How? Being Restorative, Encouraging, Supportive, Empowering with a Teaming mentality.
Shelneka encouraged participants to embrace her mantra "I go to work every day to get fired!" As leaders you have to cultivate space for others to grow, create systems in which you are no longer needed, and develop opportunities which allow not only you to improve and be promoted, but empower others to do the same.
Attendance USA
2025 Attendance Conference
Founding Member, Contributor, Presenter
Indianapolis, IN - Attendance USA was launched during their inaugural conference on May 20, 2025. Pictured are the founding members who met on May 19 to pen the Attendance USA Manifesto which will be shared publicly in August 2025. We Got Goals, LLC is an official partner of Attendance USA!
During the conference Shelneka presented a "Guide for State Education Agency Leaders to help Systems and Schools Navigate the Bermuda Triangle of Chronic Absence Utilizing the Triad of Engagement," where Shelneka provided these points:
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State-level leadership support must be visible and realized
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Communicate chronic absence as a state priority
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State guidance should illustrate policies, procedures, and strategy implementation
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Engagement strategies at the state level can be modeled at the system level
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The Triad of Engagement allows for all stakeholders to have a voice
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Capacity-building includes supports such as webinars, trainings, and toolkits
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Allocate resources to support the Triad of Engagement and collaboration
2025 Louisiana Families In Need of Services Conference
Conference Chair, Panel Moderator
Lafayette, LA - School-Community Partnerships are necessary if we want to positively influence student success and ultimately family success! Research shows schools that develop strong community partnerships have increased student attendance rates and parental/family involvement. The Louisiana Families In Need of Services Association hosted its annual conference where participants were "Partnering With A Purpose!" School attendance in Louisiana is a priority...and not just for the schools! Judges, elected officials, FINS officers, TASC staff, community leaders, agencies, service providers, social workers, counselors, school nurses, school district leaders, and stakeholders from around the state convened to address barriers our students and families face that contribute to absenteeism, truancy, delinquency and court involvement. On day 1, Dominque Jones-Johnson, the Opening Keynote, delivered a "master class" on Partnering With a Purpose. Chief Justice John Weimer of the Louisiana Supreme Court was the Keynote on Day 2, sharing his journey from juvenile delinquency to the bench. Also on Day 2, Shelneka moderated a panel of partners from around the state who shared how FINS stakeholders can partner with them to support children and families. On Day 3, Judge Michelle Breaux presented on the collaborative in her courtroom that supports school attendance and family engagement.
"It's going to take all of us...sharing responsibility, building and sustaining relationships, and working collaboratively to support and empower students and families of Louisiana." - Shelneka
2025 EmpowerED Community Strengths-Based Education Summit
Fireside Chat w/ Keynote, Panel Moderator
Baton Rouge, LA - Thank you to the amazing Robin Burrow for being the keynote speaker and having a fireside chat with Shelneka of We Got Goals, LLC at the 2025 EmpowerED Community Strengths-Based Education Summit. The work Robin is doing through the Joe Burrow Foundation connects resources and supports to children, families, and communities. Shelneka moderated a panel at this event as well.
"I appreciate the LSU Leadership Development Institute for recognizing the 'changemaker' in me and appointing me to their advisory board. Thank you for sewing into my strengths and allowing them to be showcased at this Summit." - Shelneka
Leaders (education, community, business, etc), if you have not invested in understanding the strengths of your team, how will you know "who" you're leading to positively impact the work you're doing?
Shelneka's Clifton Strengths Top Five:
1. Positivity
2. Belief
3. Developer
4. Strategic
5. Self-Assurance
