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Elementary presenters describe "Kind Campus" and peer-leader programs; staff report increases in student connectedness
Summary
District staff and school social workers presented a school climate initiative — a 'Kind Campus' program with a Kindness Council and peer leaders — and reported survey gains in student connection and social-emotional indicators.
Representatives from a district elementary school told the East Haven School District Board of Education that a district initiative they described as a "Kind Campus" has expanded this year and is linked to measurable increases in student connectedness and social-emotional indicators.
Adam, joined by social workers Corey Ouellette and Heather Topp and staff member Julie Church, delivered the presentation and highlighted multiple school-level projects — inclusive pre-K practices at Deer Run, PBIS-linked incentive programs at Ferrara, No Place for Hate work at East Haven Academy and family-engagement events at Tuttle — before focusing on the Kind Campus spotlight. "Through that video, you saw a lot of our members of what we call the Kindness Council," Ouellette said.
At the spotlight school, presenters said the Kindness Council (grades 3–5) grew from 22 members last year to 35 this year. The council runs student-led initiatives such as neighborhood service projects, letters and care packages for community recipients, and a school garden project. A separate peer-leader program (grades 4–5) pairs 16 fourth-graders with 16 fifth-graders to support younger students in routines and transition times; peer leaders rotate every three months.
Staff described daily and weekly routines that reinforce the program: a kindness pledge and a "kindness superhero" recognized in morning announcements, a daily "kindness challenge," a "kindness wheel" rotated by recognized students, a schoolwide "kindness egg" that contains notes and ORCA tickets, and opportunities for students to cash in ORCA tickets for roles such as bus-line helper. Presenters described these as integrated with PBIS expectations (SOAR: safety, ownership, achievement, respect).
Presenters cited Panorama survey data to describe student outcomes: 94% of respondents said they have a teacher or adult they can count on; 88% said they work with others to solve problems; 98% said they listen to feedback and try to make changes; presenters reported "over 80 percent success rate" for students reporting feeling connected to school after participation in programs. The presenters said pre- and post- measures of peer-leader participants showed increases in self-confidence and sense of belonging.
Future plans described in the presentation include family surveys and feedback on the kindness programs, an after-school peer-led club to reach more students, peer-led mini-workshops, monthly leadership meetings for peer leaders, partnerships with community members, and a "gearing up for sixth grade" panel run by former fifth-graders now in middle school.
Board members and the superintendent praised the work and said staff had been careful to balance culture/climate work with academic priorities. The board did not take formal action on the presentation; presenters asked for continued support and feedback as the programs expand.
