ROME, GA— Students at East Central Elementary School waited in anticipation on Friday Aug. 19, as EC held their very first House reveal.
Modeled after the Ron Clark Academy House System, EC has established four Houses; Reveur (Blue), Amistad (Red), Isibindi (Green) and Altruismo (Black). Each House is complete with its own unique properties; however, the goal is to promote a culture of inclusion and belonging.
The House system utilizes PBIS (Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports) points to promote accountability and a little bit of fun competition.
"We have been doing PBIS for several years now at EC and we wanted to add another layer to our existing PBIS system to create a sense of working toward the greater good of a team," Principal Dr. Wesley Styles said.
"Up until this point, students have only been able to earn points for themselves. So much of a child's self-worth and sense of belonging come from being part of a team or group. We felt that the house system would give us the chance to have that positive peer pressure that comes from not wanting to let their team down and help our students learn the invaluable lessons of being a part of a team and working for something bigger than individual accolades."
Styles said the students were very excited to find out what house they would be in and EC has plans to reveal teachers' houses very soon.
"This will also give our students added adults in the building that are on their team and one more person they can feel connected to in case they ever need to reach out for support or an ear to listen," Styles added. "We truly hope these lessons not taught in a book or by standards will help our students be better prepared to be successful in a world where working with a team is key to success."
As smiling students brandished their new House colors for the very first time, the culture at EC made a slight shift, even further, toward a sense of accountability, teamwork and belonging for all.
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