Staff at Jefferson Elementary pushing kids in unique ways

Mrs. Herter's second graders at Jefferson Elementary School made turkeys and had to describe which famous Thanksgiving food they would  eat instead of turkey. — Mrs. Herter's second graders at Jefferson Elementary School made turkeys and had to describe which famous Thanksgiving food they would eat instead of turkey.

By MIKE COURSON
Great Bend Post

November has been a busy month at Jefferson Elementary School in Great Bend. Many classes did projects on Thanksgiving-related themes, and students and staff celebrated veterans on Nov. 10. A handful of the building's 283 students showed off their work to the USD 428 Board of Education during a luncheon at the school Wednesday. Principal Adam Niedens told the board how staff attended a 3-day clinic and continues to work on reducing rude and disrespectful behaviors in the building.

"We've gone through and really honed in on our Skyward reports, putting in those details of what's happening with our kids, how often things are happening," he said. "We're able to track that stuff a lot better this year, and then hopefully going forward onto next year and the year down the line that we're seeing, hopefully, that trend going in the right direction of those things decreasing."

USD 428 Board members played a game with Jefferson students as part of Wednesday's luncheon at the school.

Instructional Coach Cindy Beck showed board members graphs created by students. The school has just started its second round of benchmark testing, and students who do not reach tier one in the fall are progress monitored during the winter. FastBridge software charts its own graphs of how the students are responding, but staff is having the students make their own progress graphs.

"We thought how much better it would be if a student is saying, 'Hey, what did I get that week,' and then they're going and graphing their results," Beck said. "That way, they can see their progress so that they're, every week, taking ownership into it."

The school makes learn fun in other ways. Staff and students recently played Hungry, Hungry Hippos in the gymnasium using scooters, balls, and laundry baskets as part of a Capturing Kids' Hearts activity day. The school recently held Muffins with Mom before class, and a Donuts with Dad day is in the works. Inviting dads to recess and lunch as part of Dads on Duty remains popular, and female students are enjoying Books and Braids before class on Thursdays and Fridays where staff braids their hair.