The Courier July 2016 | Volume 23, Issue 10
FREE
a division of Independent School District 15 Community Education | St. Francis, Minnesota Serving the communities of Andover, Athens Township, Bethel, East Bethel, Linwood Township, Nowthen, Oak Grove, St. Francis and Stanford Township
www.the-courier.org | news@isd15.org
St. Francis Middle School holds inaugural Bingo Bash Dr. Bobbi Anderson Hume SFMS Principal
St. Francis Middle School (SFMS) students and staff celebrated the end of the school year with a schoolwide carnival. Students and staff worked hard this past year to establish the kind of school they want SFMS to be. SFMS has a plan for world domination: together, students and staff want to take over the world by being the best middle school. There are short and long-term goals that make up a five-year plan. The 2014-15 school year was the first year of the plan and the focus was on relationships. At SFMS, everyone believes relationships are the foundation for everything. Each student can walk into school and know that there is an adult who cares about them. The goal for the first year and beyond was that every student feels like they belong, has value and is an important part of their school. This year, in addition to relationship building, the focus was on creating opportunity. SFMS went from having one after school Targeted Services program for each grade in math and reading to 21 high-interest programs that not only build upon math and reading skills but also allowed students to bond with their peers and have fun. Middle school sports and other activities have also returned after being cut more than a decade ago. Students could participate in school activities, such as jazz band, strength and conditioning, Knowledge Bowl, wrestling and track. The goal is for all SFMS students to participate in an after school activity of his or her choosing. This year nearly two-thirds of students participated in an after school activity. Year two was also about clearly defining who the students of SFMS are and what they expect of each other, including understandings of behavior. One proven method of creating clear expectations for students is through a model called Positive Behavior Intervention Strategies, which focuses on clear communication of expectations and the acknowledgment of positive behavior. Last fall, each student was given a Bingo board that they were required to attach to their planner and keep throughout the year. Squares on the board contained goals such as, “I will be on time to my classes,” I will earn C’s or better on my report card,” and, “I will earn zero behavior referrals.” At the end of each month, those who met the behavior goal were awarded with a Bingo stamp and a prize.
St. Francis Middle School celebrated the last day of school on June 1 with a Bingo Bash. Students earned points for good behavior throughout the school year and then used the points to have fun. They had a dunk tank, bungee trampoline, food, photo booth and much more. The weather was a little chilly but a good time was had by all. Submitted Photo On the last day of school, students were awarded with a school celebration. All students who participated in Bingo were able to attend, and students with a Bingo or a blackout on their card received additional rewards. It is important to understand that the incentive was a schoolwide initiative. It was not about individual credits or class rank. This was an opportunity for everyone at SFMS to agree to expectations and to reward students who do the right things every day. Additionally, it provided an avenue to move students who struggle with school expectations into a place of success by using clear communication, recognition and peer modeling. Students were excited each month to check the list of eligible students and were very excited about the rewards. For those who typically have success in school, the monthly goals were not difficult to attain, yet they commented about the importance of being regularly recognized for their achievements. Students who sometimes struggle in school had clear expectations and support to meet the monthly goal so they could experience success at school. Even if a student did not achieve the
monthly goal, the expectation was clear for them as being important to their success, as well as the success of SFMS. The Bingo program also fits in with ISD 15’s mission statement, “Our mission is to equip all students with the knowledge and skills to empower them to achieve their dreams and full potential while becoming responsible citizens in a dynamic world.” By creating monthly behavior goals for students, they are gaining the necessary skills in order to achieve individual goals and the collective goals of SFMS. Staff also supported every SFMS student, allowing them to feel empowered in meeting the Bingo goal each month. For SFMS students, year two meant greater opportunities, a deeper connection to their school and time to celebrate relationships. In the end, 91 percent of students earned a Bingo, meaning they met several monthly goals and 75 percent earned a blackout for meeting each monthly goal. Funding for the Bingo initiative came from the St. Francis Middle School Site Management Council, which is funded almost entirely from revenue gained at school activity nights. St. Francis Middle School wishes
to thank the community and several businesses for supporting the yearlong Bingo initiative, specifically, Acapulco in Blaine, St. Francis Dairy Queen, Hong Kong Delight, Patriot Lanes Bar & Grill, St. Francis Dominos, St. Francis Casey’s General Store, Something Sweet by Maddie Lu in Coon Rapids, St. Francis McDonald’s, St. Francis Subway and Muller Family Theatres. All went above and beyond to support SFMS students. Additionally, recognition should be given to intervention specialist Coral-Lyn Wyman and administrative assistant Annie Mickelburg for the long hours they put in to create an amazing endof-year experience.
What’s Inside Schools in Action.................................................. 2 Class of 2016............................................................ 9 Community Education....................................13 Community & Business...................................15 School Board Highlights................................25 Sports & Outdoors.............................................27 Meetings, Events & Benefits.........................31 Life...............................................................................32