Project Description
Students have mentioned that they miss our school-wide celebrations. Savannah stated that it would be nice to meet students is other majors and celebrate as the SOA FAMILY. We discussed having a socially distanced celebration.
Content: The top 3 things I learned from this showcase were:
- Being FAMILY (Flexible, Ambitious, Improving, Professional, You) at SOA is meaningful to our students.
- The SOA Crash Course that we use at the beginning of the year to teach students how to be FAMILY has a huge impact on the positive culture of our school.
- While COVID 19 has our daily operations and structure, it is vital to instill and reinforce our SOA FAMILY culture and identity.
Culture: This project relates or connects to my family, background, peers, community or my own personal interests in these ways:
The culture at the Butler Tech School of the Arts is one of FAMILY. We explicitly teach our students what it means to be FAMILY at SOA. This PBIS component includes how to treat each other in public spaces, the classroom, restrooms, hallway, public spaces, and how to use FLEX time. FAMILY was a concept that was developed by former SOA staff members. However, it has stood the test of time. Year after year, students always comment, “I have found my tribe.”
FAMILY represents being:
- Flexible
- AMbitious
- Improving
- ProfessionaL
- You
Metacognition: In reflection, one thing that I would have done differently during my journey with this showcase is:
Our students shared a wide range of ideas in the one meeting that was hosted on ZOOM. Some of the suggestions are COVID prohibited. However, I would set recurring meetings at the beginning of the discussion to create a more formal plan of action. In a recent survey, the students expressed their appreciation for the hard work and availability of the “academic” teachers. Special “Shout-outs” and recognition could be integrated into their performance.
Social/Emotional: One thing I am most proud of by completing this showcase is:
This was student driven from the start. While some juniors have shared their love of SOA, seniors miss what was in place prior to the COVID restrictions. The hybrid model of instruction is working, but it does not fully support the FAMILY climate from previous years. Our seniors recognize this and are determined to infuse the FAMILY mindset into our culture so that our junior students will truly understand what it means to be FAMILY at Butler Tech School of the Arts!
