Voorhees students, teachers spotlight character through 'student of the month' and 'behavior bravos'

At a Voorhees Township Public Schools board meeting, students and staff from Osage School presented two programs aimed at recognizing character traits and improving school climate.

Osage principal Mister Kramer described a student-of-the-month program started by librarian Caitlin Paluszczak two years ago and complemented this year by fourth-grade teacher Carrie Mann’s behavior bravos. "Not only do the students enjoy being recognized, the parents ... love coming to the school to be a part of our special assemblies," Kramer said.

Paluszczak told the board the program uses a paired-text lesson each month to introduce a trait such as integrity, perseverance, compassion and responsibility, with nominations intended to be inclusive for students of all abilities. "Seeing oneself reflected in a book is one of the great joys of literature," Paluszczak said, describing how classroom discussions help students internalize the traits.

Fifth grader Ghazi Hussein, who received a responsibility award in February 2025, described the assembly and family participation: "After you get recognized, you go up to the podium, get your award, and walk back to your seat," he said. Amelia Dawson, another student recipient, described perseverance after adjusting to a new school and credited teachers for supporting her progress.

Mann detailed the behavior bravos system and a "bravo bonus wheel" drawn during monthly celebrations. She said the system intentionally recognizes students who "consistently do the right thing" and those making progress on behavior challenges. Several students gave concrete examples — helping a classmate, sharing clothing when someone was cold, or maintaining hallway expectations — that board members said illustrated program impact.

Board members and the superintendent praised the presentation and the role family participation plays in the ceremonies. The superintendent said the program links to broader district climate-and-culture work and encouraged parents to attend a related parent workshop on Dec. 4 covering regulation 5600 (code of conduct and behavior incentives).

The programs are described by staff as low-cost, staff-led approaches that aim to build student self-confidence, model empathy and highlight nonacademic contributions alongside academic achievement. The board applauded the students and presented small tokens of appreciation at the meeting.

The district did not provide enrollment or budget figures for the programs at the meeting; staff said the initiatives are embedded in existing school activities and involve volunteers and classroom teachers.