Students in grades 6 through 8 are divided into mixed-grade-level houses. Each house is named after a Saint they would like to emulate, has a motto, a mascot, a cheer, and a banner that hangs in the hallway. Teacher mentors oversee the houses, and house leaders (eighth graders who have applied and been selected by the mentor) lead house meetings.
The purpose of the House System is to involve students in school activities and service. We hope to encourage students to have a positive attitude toward teachers and rules, have better academic performance and feel better about themselves. The House System brings energy and promotes school spirit in our middle school students.
At the house meetings, the students work together in various competitions while wearing their house shirts in their designated colors. House members work together to earn points through the competitions. Individual students earn points for their house by participating in school events, community service projects and extracurricular activities. Students are given their own monthly point sheet and must get signatures from adults who sponsor each event in which they participate. They also have a monthly club time in which they take part in an activity of their choice–board games, gymnastics, cooking, yo-yo’s and more!
The benefits of being involved in such a system are outstanding. Mixing the students from all grades in the house provides more opportunities for students to meet peers with whom they may not otherwise interact, and the sixth graders feel more relaxed moving up to the middle school. Faculty and student relationships improve as a result of them interacting outside the classroom. Positive peer pressure gets students involved in activities in order to support their house and students gain a sense of pride in being able to contribute. When all students feel they can make a difference, it creates a climate where students and teachers want to be, making the House System a win-win situation.
