2025 Updates to the Student Check-In on Closegap

Start With What Students Need

By The Closegap Team

At the end of our 9–12 check-in, we’ve long asked students a few simple questions: Was this helpful? How could we improve it? When we read through thousands of responses this year, a pattern emerged. Some students said, “I like it, and it’s probably helpful for others—but I don’t always need it.” Others landed in a messy middle: sometimes finding value, sometimes not. And the final group wanted nothing to do with a check-in on that particular day.

That range is real life. So we redesigned the very first step of the experience to meet students where they are.

From “How are you feeling?” to “What do you need right now?”

The new check-in begins with a single, clarifying question: What do you need right now?

This is what it looks like now in the updated Grade 3-5 Check-In:

Here’s the updated first screen for Grades 6-12:

That first choice does a lot of work. It meets a student who’s doing fine with a quick exit. It gives a hesitant student a gentle way in without forcing words they don’t yet have. And it puts a clear escalation path front-and-center for students who already know they need an adult.

“That one shift gives students real agency,” says Rachel Miller, Closegap’s CEO.

We also kept the full check-in easy to find—so educators who prefer that routine can direct students to the first option anytime.

A truer mirror, fewer assumptions

Students told us they dislike being “told” how they’re doing. We listened. Now, when a student finishes, the summary reflects their words back with no labels layered on top.

“Students tell us exactly how they’re feeling, and the summary repeats it—no diagnosing,” Closegap’s CTO, Donald, explains.

This change respects student voice and reduces dissonance (for example, when a student marks “okay,” they won’t see a message that sounds like a bad-day pep talk).

Warm, not fluffy

We also heard that parts of the experience felt too childish or cutesy to some preteens and teens. That feedback matters. Adolescents carry big feelings, and sometimes big walls. Our aim is a tone that is warm without being fluffy: approachable, direct, and never condescending.

As Roxane, on our design team, puts it, “You can be welcoming and real.”

Why the opt-out matters

Some secondary school students will still choose “I don’t want to check in.” That honesty deserves respect. We’ve seen that the students most resistant to the mechanics of a check-in are often the ones carrying the heaviest stories. For them, trust builds in tiny, consistent moments. An opt-out is not a failure; it’s an intact relationship we can keep tending to over time. The check-in is ready for them when they are ready to check in.

What this changes for educators

Starting with need sharpens triage. A classroom view no longer requires scanning every check-in equally to find the few who need attention now. Signals surface sooner and more clearly, especially for common states like “tired,” which can represent very different needs.

“You’re not sifting through 25 entries to figure out who’s okay and who’s not,” Donald says. “The system helps you zero in on the handful who need immediate support so humans can do what they do best: connect.”

Rachel’s hope six months from now is straightforward:

“Students are more honest because they feel more seen, and staff can rely on the data as a real window into how kids are actually doing. When young people feel met—on good days, gray days, and hard days—they show up differently. That’s how school culture shifts.”

Why we made these specific choices

• Educator-friendly defaults. The full check-in remains the first option, allowing staff to maintain established routines when it’s best for their context.

• A fast path for “I’m good.” Many students appreciate Closegap and don’t need it every day. “Nothing, I’m feeling good” tested as clear and respectful language for them.

• A gentle bridge for the “messy middle.” “I’m not doing well, and I’m not sure what I need” validates uncertainty and still opens the door for support.

• Immediate escalation for urgent needs. If a student already knows they need an adult, we remove friction—no cute detours on the way to real help.

• Meeting disengaged students where they are. Students who say “I hate this” are really voicing their distrust, so we honor where they’re coming from so we can build trust with them slowly over time.

In the end, this update is about dignity and skill-building. Self-advocacy is learned. When we start with What do you need right now?, we help students practice naming needs, making choices, and asking for help—all while giving educators clearer signals and more time for human connection.

Not every day needs the same check-in. But every student deserves a real choice, a clear path, and an adult who listens. Closegap is here for them.