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Coventry middle school spotlights student supports, ‘common closet’ thrift program
Summary
At the Nov. 19 Coventry Local school board meeting, middle‑school staff presented programs aimed at improving school culture, including staff pop‑ups, lunchtime conversation cards, a mentorship check‑in system, expanded robotics curriculum and a ‘common closet’ thrift effort to provide clothing and supplies to students.
Coventry Middle School staff used the board’s Nov. 19 meeting to showcase classroom activities and student‑support programs aimed at building culture and connections among students and staff.
The presentation, introduced as the principal’s first formal report to the board, outlined steps the school has taken to boost staff morale and student engagement. Presenters described “pop‑up” events and spirit weeks to bring staff together, daily visibility of adults in hallways and small appreciation tokens for teachers. "We're really trying to improve culture," one presenter said when describing the school's approach to highlighting positive interactions.
Staff also described student‑facing initiatives. A lunchtime conversation‑card practice rotates simple questions among tables to prompt conversation and connect students with adults. The school has implemented a check‑in/check‑out mentoring system for students needing additional academic or behavioral support, pairing those students with a staff mentor for daily goal setting and review.
Presenters noted partnerships with outside providers for social‑emotional lessons and drug‑prevention curricula in grades six and eight, and described the student assistance program led by the school counselor to identify families and students who need extra services.
The school highlighted expansion of its robotics curriculum in grades 6–8, with sufficient equipment so each student can participate in coding and robotics challenges. Staff said students will continue to compete in local robotics meets.
Student presenters also described a student‑run school store that sells donated and purchased items; teachers said the store gives students the opportunity to earn tangible rewards for good behavior and to practice handling money and responsibility.
Board members praised the student presenters and the staff for the work. The presentation concluded with the building asking the board and community what topics they would like to see in a future roaming report, noting positive attendance and recent events such as a Veterans Day assembly that included more than 25 veterans.
The board then moved on to the operations portion of its agenda, with no formal action tied to the school’s presentation.
