Fowlerville Junior High named National Showcase School
FOWLERVILLE — Fowlerville Junior High School has been named a Capturing Kids' Hearts National Showcase School.
"A national showcase school is a school that has implemented the Capturing Kids' Hearts curriculum and have been exemplary in its implementation in the school," said Fowlerville Junior High School Principal Myriah Lillie. "Typically, it's a two-year process to be nominated. Ultimately, the founder of Capturing Kids' Hearts is the one that determines who will be the National Showcase School recipients."
Shortly after the COVID-19 pandemic, Lillie saw a rise in mental health crisis that brought on a lot of negative thinking in students.
"We were seeing an increase in a lack of empathy towards others, very self-centered thinking on behalf of the students and we felt like we needed something to connect with their teachers better and build better relationships so they can understand how their actions affect others," Lillie said.
To combat that, FJHS implemented the CKH EXCEL model, through a two-day training during the 2021-22 school year for educators of 6th-12th grade students at FJHS and Fowlerville High School.
"Capturing Kids' Hearts, it's not just a program. It really shifts the culture in your school, inside the classrooms, in the hallway, but even goes towards our staff meetings, professional development that we run with our teachers on school buses, at our school board meetings, all of those things," Lillie said.
"It actually (boosts) positivity into the school, and it really surrounds itself on how to connect with students on a level that's different than just the curriculum. It's all about building relationships with the students. That is the main driver in how to get what you need to get done in the classroom, is you've got to build the relationship to bring out the best in students."
CKH uses the EXCEL model, which stands for Engage, Explore, Communicate, Empower and Launch. Under this model, students begin the day by sharing good things in their life, such as getting a new pet or winning their recent sports game.
Students share a good thing in every class, every hour out of their day — which is about six different hours and six different classrooms. According to Lillie, this has allowed teaches and students to learn a lot more about each other.
After good things, teachers proceed with the lesson. Another aspect of the EXCEL model that students create at the beginning of the year is a social contract. A social contract is an agreement between the class and the teacher about how they plan to treat one another. Social contracts are made with each class for every hour.
"The teacher holds them accountable to the social contract," Lillie said. "If they break the social contract, there's warnings. Kids can check each other about the social contract.
To keep the positive thinking and feeling going at the end of class, teachers do a "launch", where they share some motivational words or reminders such as how our words matter. When students leave their classrooms and go out into the hallway they are greeted by teachers and other student greeters.
"Before every class, the kids have six (classes) a day, they get greeted by their teacher and the teacher connects with each one individually," Lillie said. "Whether it's a high five, handshake, fist bump — but the 'Hey, how you doing and welcome to class, good to see you sort of thing,' but there's a connection six hours out of the day with their teacher, where before, teachers would kind of just sit in their classroom and prepare for the next hour."
According to Lillie, since starting CKH, students are nicer, more understanding and empathetic towards one another. She has also seen a decrease in referrals, truancy and bullying.
Subscribe: Get all your breaking news and unlimited access to our local coverage
"It's really been a positive change for us in the building and teachers will tell that they have much better relationships with the kids," Lillie said.
Lillie said she's extremely proud to be named a National Showcase School and thanks the staff for working tirelessly to train, practice and come up with solutions.
"I'm just so proud of them and they're super proud of themselves for what they've been able to do."
— Contact reporter Patricia Alvord at palvord@livingstondaily.com.
This article originally appeared on Livingston Daily: Fowlerville Junior High named National Showcase School
