District outlines full-year rollout of house system to boost belonging and student leadership
Get AI-powered insights, summaries, and transcripts
Subscribe
Summary
Administrators described the first full year of the house system across grades—elementary houses (Team Eagle), intermediate house squads, middle- and high-school houses—with activities, service projects, house points and student leadership roles designed to increase belonging and student engagement.
Dr. Katie Nowak, assistant superintendent for teaching and learning, and school-based house deans presented an update on the district's house system, which moved from pilot status into a full-year implementation this year.
At the early learning center, Team Eagle introduces youngest students to house concepts through weekly messages and simple activities. Lauren Walker, a kindergarten teacher and ELC house dean, said lessons emphasize being kind, safe and responsible and that students participate in assemblies, bingo activities and community service such as a food drive for the New Albany Food Pantry.
Primary schools reported about 1,598 house points accumulated during the initial rollout and celebrated weekly and trimester recognitions. Intermediate and secondary schools use house squads—small staff-led groups of about 12–14 students—to foster adult–student connections. Middle-school presenters reported awarding about 15,709 house points districtwide (roughly 70 points per student on average) and said house programming has supported monthly recognition, service projects and competition-driven fundraising.
High-school presenters said houses are being used to boost participation in arts and athletics through QR-code check-ins for events and to incentivize attendance and improvement with rewards such as certificates or event passes. Student house leaders (selected through an application and recommendation process) are working on peer leadership, summer preparation, and supporting back-to-school events.
The district tied several service projects to house competition: a cereal domino drive (elementary/intermediate) and canned-food and turkey fundraisers at the secondary level (high-school canned drive reported at about 1,800 items). Presenters said houses also support smaller interventions such as birthday recognition, peer mentoring, and targeted activities to connect isolated students.
"House system is a school structure that divides students into smaller groups called houses that work together and engage in friendly competition for points, service learning, lots of student engagement activities to really support that sense of belonging and positive culture," Dr. Nowak said. Staff asked the board to continue supporting house staffing and to track outcome data to evaluate impact.