In a challenging year, Dr. Bubser praised students for building positive relationships throughout the school.
By Gary Weckselblatt
In a difficult school year with limited student interaction due to COVID constraints, a team of student leaders at Strayer Middle School has helped make the school’s climate more positive.
The students, working with Principal Dr. Jennifer Bubser and school counselor Melyce Lucchesi, used survey data from a inspirED Leadership Project with the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence to create a school project that increases school spirit and limits screen time.
InspirED is a free set of resources that support students and helps them assess school climate; brainstorm project ideas; commit and complete projects; and debriefs success.
“I applaud the effort of our student leadership group and Mrs Lucchesi,” Dr. Bubser said. “They really feel that they did make a difference in a year that was very stressful. There was a lot of uncertainty and we were challenged in a lot of different ways. Our student leaders spread positivity, showed kindness and built positive relationships throughout the school.”
The student leaders include Kendall Ward Weiner, Anna Greenday, Faith Greenday, Hannah Yerger, Ethan DeAndrea, Gavin Carroll, and Steven Hermann.
Dr. Bubser said the work connects with Strayer’s Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS) and its mantra of a safe, responsible, respectful and courageous studentry. The students and their advisors had training and analyzed survey data to create a project in which they sought ways to increase school spirit and limit screen time with Social Emotional Learning (SEL) activities. The project involved a “Chill Out” day with a variety of activities. In addition, banners were created to focus on being safe, responsible, respectful and courageous.
Throughout the day on June 1 students were randomly selected for PBIS prizes and lucky winners got to participate in dunking staff members in the dunk tank. Assistant Principal Greg Lesher was one of the victims.
Other screen-free activities included STEM challenges, board games, tie dying, building roller coasters, bingo, painting, making friendship bracelets, the rock garden, beautifying the outdoors and creating inspirational art projects to help inspire others.
At the end of the day, the inspirED leadership team got to slime Dr. Bubser, who said Chill Out day is expected to become a Strayer tradition.
“I’m so proud of our students, our teachers and our staff,” Dr. Bubser said. “They are truly Strayer Strong. I believe the inspirED research and activities are making a difference. And watching our young people develop into leaders is a good thing.”
Gary Weckselblatt, QCSD Director of Communications, writes about the people and the programs that impact the Quakertown Community School District. He can be reached at 215-529-2028 or [email protected].