Orchard Valley students present ‘Panther Pride’ program; board issues certificate

Students from Orchard Valley Middle School presented a video on the school’s Panther Pride rewards program and received a certificate of recognition from the Washington Township School District Board of Education at the Feb. 18 meeting.

The presentation, led in the video by Sophie Clark, explained how teachers award Panther Pride tickets for behavior tied to the PRIDE pillars (positivity, respect, integrity, determination and excellence). Students earn tickets that they redeem in a weekly school store, and tickets are entered into monthly and semester drawings for larger prizes. “Panther Pride is worth the Orchard Valley Middle School model,” Sophie Clark said in the video presentation.

The video credited Kevin Hornstein for filming and editing and thanked other staff who assisted with production. Board members presented a certificate of recognition that, according to the document read at the meeting, was presented Feb. 18, 2025, and signed by Dr. Eric Hibbs, superintendent, and Julie Gizempel.

The presentation included program metrics shared in the video: as of the meeting, Orchard Valley students had earned 8,430 tickets toward a school goal of 10,000. The students described how teachers record tickets, students log points in ClassDojo and the school redeems tickets for snacks, supplies and special events.

Board members praised the students’ work and presented certificates on behalf of the board. The meeting record shows the district acknowledged the students’ video and the program’s role in motivating behavior and student engagement.

The board did not take formal action on Panther Pride during the meeting; the item was presented as a recognition and informational update.