By MIKE COURSON
Great Bend Post
Getting called to the principal's office once put a chill into the spines of school kids. Schools in Great Bend are turning that notion on its head. Positive referrals are just one part of the Capturing Kids' Hearts program the district implemented in the fall of 2021. District Public Information Director Andrea Bauer said administrators, staff, and students across the district have embraced the program.
"While it's a national program focused on building positive, safe, and welcoming school environments, strong relationships with students are really what's at the core," she said. "The way it's implemented across Great Bend public schools, it looks a little different at each building."
The USD 428 Board of Education makes stops at each school for a luncheon during the school year. At each stop, the board hears how the program is benefitting staff and students. It can be as simple as greeting kids at the door when they arrive at school, greeting them by name in the hallways, or positive office referrals. Administrators have a lot of discretion to implement the program as they see fit.
"For the implementation, there is a structure and a framework to it," said Bauer. "Because it's a national program, there are some best tips and practices, but each building really has taken this on in different ways. They're constantly evaluating, changing, and looking for new ideas."
Several schools use positive referrals to flip the old principal-student dynamic on its head. Great Bend Middle School began positive office referrals last year, and Principal Myron Ellegood praised the program during last Tuesday's luncheon.
"It's probably one of my favorite things I do because I get to call the parents and tell them what great kids they have," he said. "It's nice and reminds you why you got into the business of education."