Catholic Schools Week theme integreated at St. Joseph's School
1/29/2012 11:42:00 AM by St. Joseph School
Students of Batavia’s St. Joseph School have integrated this year’s Catholic School’s theme of “Faith. Academics.Service” into a fun year-long team-building program based on the Native-American theme of “houses”.
Students and teachers (Kindergarten through 8th grade) are assigned to seven grade-integrated “houses”. These houses foster a school-wide, competitive, enthusiastic, and proud atmosphere where students feel connected to the school community and one another! The house-members participate in monthly team-building activities. Further, throughout the school year teams compete for the highest house-score based upon merit points earned by members. All students can contribute and earn points for their house in the four categories of Community Service and Volunteer Work; Competitions (non-academic); Academic Competitions and Honors and Christian Character.
At the end of the second and fourth quarters the winning houses earn the reward of walking to a nearby restaurant of their choice and enjoying lunch together!
Catholic Schools Week will include special House activities including crafting fleece-tie throws and donating these throws to the VA Nursing home in Batavia.
Students and teachers report enjoying the monthly team building activities. Students are motivated to earn merit-points for their teams. Points are earned for such behaviors as achieving classroom student-of-the-month, random-acts-of-kindness and acknowledging the good in others. Teachers see the house-model as encouraging positive behaviors by illustrating to students the impact their actions have on others in their house.