Students preview prom, volunteer events and Park Elementary’s 'Tiger' character program

A student council presenter told the board the high school’s prom is scheduled for May 2 at a winery and that tickets will go on sale online April 1, followed by sales at lunch; students planning prom said guest forms will be required. The presenter also listed upcoming spring activities, including track trials and a speech invitational, and reminded the board that students are fundraising for and may participate in the Tim Worth volunteer event and the Polar Plunge.

At Park Elementary, a presenter described the school’s 'Tiger' positive behavior program, a PBIS-style initiative that assigns a monthly character focus (teamwork, independence, grit, everyone counts, responsibility, self-control). Teachers display posters describing what each trait looks like in hallways, cafeterias, buses and classrooms; the program uses read-alouds, classroom discussion, morning announcements and activity examples from school events to connect lessons to students’ daily experiences. Staff nominate students they observe demonstrating the month’s trait; weekly nominations feed into a Friday drawing and end-of-trimester self-reflection rubric that is included on student report cards.

The Park Elementary presenter said the program is explicitly used in behavior interventions: when a student’s behavior is discussed, staff identify which trait was not shown and create a short plan to practice the desired character trait. The presenter also noted that counselors deliver weekly CharacterStrong lessons that reinforce social-emotional skills such as focus, goal setting and emotional regulation.

Board members praised the student leadership and the school’s approach. One member said hearing peers talk about behavior helps students learn to lead; another asked how the program was developed and was told it grew from a PBIS team and local counselor-led curriculum.