Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the School Culture topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Burns principal highlights culture, mental-health and student-leadership programs
Summary
Burns High School leadership described programs intended to boost student engagement and mental health — including kindness "shudos," wristband raffles, an eight-minute peer check-in program, and expanding student leadership activities — as part of a yearlong effort to improve school climate.
The Burns principal told the Laramie County School District #2 board on April 13 that the school’s primary focus this year has been building trust and a positive culture to improve attendance, engagement and student outcomes.
The principal outlined multiple programs aimed at normalizing kindness and peer support: a wristband reward program tied to QR-code raffles for small prizes, "shudos" (a school-wide system for written kudos), and an "eight-minute" mental-health check-in where trained students or staff are available to listen for a brief, timed conversation. "It's kind of like a mental health support...we've given them the okay to have a conversation in the hallway for eight minutes and then the teacher just times it," the principal said.
Staff also described classroom changes to increase collaborative projects, expanded student leadership through National Honor Society, student council and FBLA, and competitive successes in music, art and Science Olympiad that leadership said are raising morale and academic interest. The principal credited teachers, coaches and support staff for the improvements and asked trustees to continue school visits and engagement.
Board members asked clarifying questions and were shown staff 'pride and delta' cards summarizing positive changes and areas for improvement, including higher academic expectations, consistency in discipline and cell-phone policy enforcement.
The presentation closed with trustees and staff acknowledging student and staff achievements and the principal's request that board members visit classrooms to observe day-to-day operations.
