Every day is a special day when kids are together in schools, being taught and cared for by adults who love them. However, we can’t deny that some days are simply extra special. It’s part of the experience we, as a school district, love providing for our students. Extra special days are not only delightful, they’re necessary as we educate, equip, and value our students. We recently took part in several extra special days as Southside Elementary ushered in a new way of how students experience school.
Let’s say you happen to visit Southside Elementary on one of those extra special days. As you enter the building, you distinctly hear, “Four houses, one school! Four houses, one school,” resound throughout the foyer. Though the doors to the gymnasium are closed, these chants of ecstatic children and enthusiastic educators have no trouble making their way to your ears. You enter the gym and cross the threshold into an organized sea of both students and teachers jumping, screaming, laughing, and cheering. Based on the blue, green, red, and black shirts and outfits you see, you can immediately understand that this throng of people is divided into four specific groups. You see little boys and girls in their particular color sitting next to older, closer to preteen age and size, boys and girls in the same color. It’s evident that they are all cheering for their own groups; however, you discern that the unfamiliar names they are chanting are not always the ones written across their own chests. In fact, you see them make gestures with their hands and arms that seem to correspond more with what other groups in a different color are doing with their hands and arms. What is happening in this big, wild yet coordinated crowd?
What you’re seeing, both in the obvious manner and in ways that are being woven into the fabric of the school experience and operations, is connection. Belonging. A sense of ownership. An understanding of togetherness. A state of pride. Camaraderie. Kindness. Hard work. Fun. You’re seeing the careful implementation of a system designed to inspire each learner to believe that they are a valuable member of something bigger than themselves. It’s the magic of childhood combining with the power of skilled and dedicated educators. It’s the new House System at Southside Elementary.
The House System implemented by Southside this year is based on the House System of the Ron Clark Academy, which is a middle school in Atlanta, Georgia. Several members of the Southside team were very intrigued by this system after learning more about it from one of our neighboring schools in Fayette County Public Schools. After nine Southside educators visited the academy this past summer to see the House System in action, the faculty and staff were eager to carry it out at Southside.
The House System is a great complement to one of the areas of focus for the 2024-2025 school year at Southside. Mrs. Mackenzie Durr, Administrative Dean at Southside, explains, “One of our big rocks to focus on this year is connection. We already have a great culture at Southside, but we wanted to make sure that all of our kids feel both included and connected.”
For a student to be successful both in and out of the classroom, it’s necessary for them to be included in all aspects of school: classroom instruction, specials, friendship, and so much more. However, the House System takes inclusion even deeper and aims at students also feeling connected in a group. Mrs. Durr adds, “All of us want to belong. It feels good to belong. Adults crave this feeling, and so do kids.”
By adding in the element of houses, Southside is providing each student with a group to which they belong. Of course, every student already belongs to the overall team of Southside itself, but the House System provides students with their own smaller group under that larger umbrella. Students maintain a pride and gratitude for their own house even as they acknowledge the value and importance of the other houses.
So how is the House System implemented in a way that establishes respect and support for other houses while also celebrating pride and happiness in one’s own house? The answer is simple: adults modeling inclusive, kind behavior. Mrs. Durr says, “Teachers and staff members brought energy and passion for all houses during our house reveals and sorting ceremonies.” Yes, they were modeling how kids can be excited for their own houses, but their cheers for others were equally as loud and happy.
The enthusiasm for the success of one’s own house and other houses is not only present in the bigger, flashier moments of house reveal, meetings, and rallies, but it’s also apparent in the everyday moments. For example, another element of the House System is house points. Students may earn House Points by going above and beyond fulfilling classroom expectations, showing respect, helping others, etc. House points are meant to reward good behavior which demonstrates strong character in students. As Mrs. Durr puts it, “House points are given when we see students behaving as the kinds of citizens and humans we are hoping to inspire.” In Woodford County, we are all working together to build resilient learners, empathetic communicators, reflective collaborators, responsible contributors, and creative problem solvers.
A very enticing aspect of house points is that when students earn a house point, they can see their name and photo come up on television screens in the school in real time. The screens also monitor the total number of points each house has. Students want to earn house points in order to see their house win! At the end of the school year, the entire school will dress in the color of the house that earned the most points throughout the year.
Mr. Jeremy Reynolds, Principal of Southside Elementary, says, “The house points serve to increase students’ pride for their house. The point system makes them want to excel so that they can see their own name and photo up on the screen.”
To further drive home the positive experience of the House System, Mrs. Durr explains that celebrating each other’s victories in earning house points is a crucial part. She says, “If someone is awarded a house point, everyone cheers. The whole class celebrates. It is the expectation that everyone supports the other houses. When we rolled out the House System, we made sure the kids understood that they are to support others.”
And thus the passionate chants of “Four houses, one school! Four houses, one school,” booming throughout Southside Elementary. Everyone is involved. Everyone is connected. Everyone is supportive.
To provide the teacher perspective on the new experience at Southside, Mrs. Shanda Warthman, 1st grade teacher, and Mrs. Meghan Drennan, 5th grade teacher, share their thoughts.
Mrs. Warthman says, “I am very excited about the House System this year! This system is a great opportunity to continue to build community Kindergarten through 5th grade. We are already seeing great connections between all grade levels through house meetings and sharing a house color. I love seeing older students step into leadership positions to encourage younger Stallions.”
Mrs. Drennan says, "The Great House Race is truly magical in every way possible. Watching the way that students embrace each other, their teachers, and their house is such an incredible display of teamwork and camaraderie! It isn't just a color or a name. It is an intertwined community and a platform for student empowerment. Southside has always been a place of passion and positivity. Now, our school culture will elevate even more as we rise up and celebrate these new houses!"
Southside has implemented the House System for students in Kindergarten through 5th grade. We are excited that Simmons Elementary implements the House System for students in 4th grade and in the Gifted and Talented Education (GATE) program, and Huntertown Elementary recently implemented the House System for their students in 4th and 5th grades. We love seeing our schools carry out this incredible model!
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