These young women jumped up to help clean the tables the other day after eating lunch at the Middle School, and I had seen others do the same before. I asked Principal Brian McNeill about these helpers, and he told me that they were all volunteers and that the KMS student workforce concept had been in operation for 20 years or so. He told me that 26 students are currently participating and that research shows that if kids get involved they have a sense of belonging. Every student participating in the program has received parental or guardian permission.
Here is Mr. McNeill:
They help us do different things. We were really in need of someone to help wash tables and we had so many kids turn out for that. We actually had to put some of the kids in shifts because we had a really good turnout which is good…
They're not getting paid. It's that it just brings on that sense of belonging helping do the right thing. I know some teachers give out Panther bucks for help in the cafeteria. I know if you work so many days you get a booth ticket, which lets kids pick three friends and they go to a booth and it's just kind of free seating. It's really been popular with the kids…
Those booths are something special. We thought that they were such a hit that we made those a Panther PBIS reward so they can buy those with tickets or gain tickets through the work for us, all so they can buy those booths to sit there and bring a friend.
But I think that's one of the bigger things is that belonging and then also the pride they take in it. They really like interacting with people and it's just good for them.
Here is our full interview:
Above is some of the equipment that’s used to clean tables.
Above are some students enjoying sitting at a booth with friends for lunch.
Sheryl Jellison is a fifth-grade teacher at Northstar Elementary. She went to school in Unionville, Missouri, and attended Indian Hills and William Penn before becoming a teacher. I asked her what she enjoys about teaching:
The kids. Absolutely. The things they say, the stories they tell, the way that you see them interact with each other, and then just watching that little light bulb come on whenever they get something that they've been struggling with.
Sheryl has taught several different grades, and I asked her to share her favorite.
I like fifth probably the best. I like the content and the age of kids where they're really starting to discover themselves and figure out who they're gonna be and they're starting to really get social with each other, and they're more independent. So that's probably my favorite…they get curious about the world around them for sure and they have stronger opinions than they would have whenever they are younger, and they look at it deeper than when they were younger.
I asked her if she wanted to share some advice for parents:
Listen to your kids and support your teachers because you know, it's like a team, we have to work together to help them grow into who they're going to be.
To hear more, below is our full interview:
Which student won the Orange Frog award this week?
Aidan Ginger!
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