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Phelps Elementary presents 'house' system, highlights coat drive and cross-grade activities
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Summary
Phelps Elementary principal Michelle Scheifly told the Rockland School Committee the school's two-year-old house system groups students and staff into five houses to promote cross-grade relationships, community service and student leadership; she said the school donated over 500 coats last year (winning a $1,500 prize) and collected more than 300 this year.
Michelle Scheifly, principal of Phelps Elementary School, told the Rockland School Committee on March 23 that the school’s two-year-old house system aims to build cross-grade relationships and give every student additional trusted adults.
"We wanted to promote cross grade level gatherings and also healthy competition among our students and staff," Scheifly said, describing how students and staff are divided into five houses — Harmony, Honor, Radiance, Unity and Valor — each with an animal, a cheer and a points system for kindness, responsibility, safety and respect.
Scheifly said houses compete for trimester rewards and take part in community service. "Last year, we donated over 500 coats to the Jordan's Furniture Coat Drive," she said, and added that the school received a $1,500 prize that was used for recess equipment. "This year, we cleaned out our closets again, and over 300 coats were delivered," Scheifly said.
Staff members Marcia Beatty and Mike Levitt were credited with organizing house gatherings. Scheifly said the program now serves about 650 students and more than 100 staff, with house gatherings roughly every six weeks in small mixed-grade groups.
Student leaders described activities to the committee. Noxha Bedi and Mike Lehi (presenters at the meeting) outlined past events: a November gratitude activity that produced a hallway display of student 'feathers,' a December "cold hands warm hearts" project in which students made hearts and mittens placed in roughly 40 local businesses for a community scavenger hunt, and a February Global Play Day where first through fourth graders mixed across houses to play games.
"My favorite part about houses is getting to know each other more through fun games and events," said Natalie, a student council member. Other students told the committee they value house lunches that mix grades and the friendly competition that rewards whole-house participation.
Scheifly said new first-graders are sorted into houses each October so they immediately feel part of the community. She noted that house shirts and logos — many created by staff — are worn on house days and that staff also earn points and sometimes wear mascot costumes for events.
The committee praised the program’s cross-grade connections and community engagement; Scheifly concluded the presentation by inviting student council members to demonstrate house cheers and by giving the committee and audience an opportunity to ask questions.
