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 The
“Six Houses One Family” project “gives students the opportunity to
connect with students across grade levels. It promotes unity,
positive character traits, a sense of pride and belonging, and
school-wide community.”
Within the program there are six “houses,” the house of Tenacity,
house of Empathy, house of Positivity, house of Respect, house of
Integrity, and the house of Responsibility.
To explain the new program, a letter went out at the beginning of
the school year to parents. The letter defined the new initiative
saying that it would help to “enhance the already amazing climate
and culture at our school.”
The letter added, “These houses will have students of all grade
levels in them as well as a variety of staff members. Students and
staff will work together throughout the year to build strong bonds
and relationships that will allow them to feel more connected to our
school. Our goal is for students to fee as if they truly know all
the staff and students in our school and that we are united as one.”
Parents were also encouraged to participate in the process by asking
their children about their respective houses and by wearing along
with their children the “house colors” when attending school
functions, and of course, by getting involved in the school
community when the opportunities arise.
On the first day of school, teachers and faculty joined the students
in a fun adventure as every person in the school was assigned to
their house for the school year.
After school began at 8:05 a.m. a school assembly was called at 8:30
a.m. Everyone assembled in the gymnasium for a welcome back to the
new school year. Then the program was slated to move outside. There
the teachers were assigned as the “house leaders” and learned what
house they would represent by receiving an envelope, opening it,
then running to the slide and going down then running to the
designated area where their house group would gather. This same
process was followed by all faculty and then the students.
At 10 a.m. the first house meetings were called. Everyone was to go
to the designated area where they would be welcomed by the house
leaders, talk about their house name, and make up a chant or cheer
to suit their house.
At 11 a.m. the program included lunch with housemates. The whole
school had lunch at the same time on this day and the leaders and
house members located a spot where they could all be one unit for
their lunch break. This was to be the first step of forming the bond
and building the relationships between the collective members of
each house.
At 1 p.m. on that first day of school, there was a second all-school
assembly, where that the six houses would be called upon. The
members of each house, when their name was called was to stand and
do their house chant or cheer.
Throughout the school year the houses will have competitions and
opportunities for earning points for activities and exemplary
behaviors befitting their house. The houses will also have community
service projects that will be a bit competitive. For example there
may be an all-school fundraiser to benefit a local charity or
not-for-profit organization. The fundraiser will be conducted as a
house vs. house competition where that each house will strive to be
the one that raises the most money.
Students can also earn points for their houses through their school
performance and their behavior. Examples of point opportunities
include one point for making a 100% on a test, getting a difficult
question correct in class, coming to school on time everyday that
week, or offering an unprompted kind gesture toward another person.
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Students can earn five points for their house by
being named an MVP of a sport or club, offering the best performance
on a class project or doing any community service projects. Students
who show an “iconic display of character” or have no behavior
referrals for an entire quarter can earn 10 points for their house.
At the end of each quarter the house with the most points will be
acknowledged as the quarterly winner and will earn a special reward
for the house.
Students and staff are working together to achieve their house goals
while getting to know one another as a school family or community.
The houses are a fun way to improve attendance and give students a
new reason for coming to class each day, it promotes positive
behavior and rewards jobs well done.
At the end of the school year one house will be named the overall
top house and will be awarded the coveted “House Cup.”
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