El Campo ISD says Capturing Kids' Hearts training widespread; five campuses earn national showcase nominations

Assistant Superintendent Alicia Starry described districtwide implementation of the Capturing Kids' Hearts (CKH) program at the El Campo Independent School District board meeting on March 6, saying more than 80% of professional staff have received training and that all five campuses have been nominated for National Showcase School status.

Starry said the CKH model (Greet, Explore, Communicate, Empower, Launch) emphasizes relationship-building, social contracts, and student leadership. "We follow an Excel model across the district," she said, and described campus practices such as greeting students at drop-off, principal leadership courts, Bird Bucks currency at the middle school, and social-contract lessons embedded at all grade levels.

Sandy, a district staff member who presented discipline-related data at a prior summer workshop, told the board the district has seen measurable reductions in disciplinary referrals. "We presented that at 2024 summer workshop for principals," Sandy said, and cited reductions including roughly 16% fewer DAEP placements and a 26% reduction in teacher referrals at campuses using CKH long enough to measure. Sandy said the data were part of materials submitted for national showcase nomination.

Principals and campus leaders in the audience described classroom practices that give students ownership of expectations and use campus currencies and monthly events as positive reinforcement. Starry said training will continue (a summer session is planned for new hires and staff not yet trained) and that the district plans to move from annual training to a biennial refresh once implementation stabilizes.

Board members asked for discipline metrics to be provided to the board. Starry and staff said they can supply year-over-year referral and suspension numbers to document impact. The board did not take formal action on CKH at the meeting.