In February, Fritsch Elementary administrators identified one fourth-grade student as a bully with behavioral problems.
"We couldn't even put him out at recess because he couldn't even handle it," said Vice Principal Jim Cazier. "He basically had a problem with any unstructured activity."
However, Cazier said that student can now participate in activities involving other students, including soccer.
"He comes to me now and asks for advice how to solve a problem," Cazier said. "Before, if a kid made him mad, he'd just punch him."
What made the difference?
It's a reward-based program called "Catch them being good," where students are recognized for positive behavior.
"Rewarding them for their good behavior shapes the kind of behavior we want to see," Cazier said.
As part of the program, teachers identify students who are having the most behavioral or academic difficulties. The students then sit down with Cazier, school counselor Pat Lutz and school psychologist Mary DeLorme.
Together, they discuss the problem and a possible reward system.
"They'll let us know the things they want to do and I try to make it work," Cazier said.
The fourth-grade bully chose to go snowboarding and after four weeks of good behavior he spent the day at Diamond Peak Ski Resort.
Diamond Peak donated the ski package. The faculty later sat down with the student and watched a video of his day.
Cazier said each student chooses one big reward, but there are smaller rewards along the way.
"It's not an all-or-nothing program," he said. "I don't work that way."
He said the long-term goal of the program is for the students to look for internal rather than external rewards.
He said one student in the program volunteers in the school's cafeteria.
"He's starting to get it," Cazier said. "He's seeing that it feels good to help people."
One of the smaller rewards Cazier offers is one of 50 free movie passes donated by Wallace Theaters.
"I can't give them to everybody but I can use them with some of our students that need a little more incentive to do a better job," he said.
However, he said the rewards are not limited to students with behavioral problems.
One student from each classroom is named "Super Kid" every month and given a gift certificate to Sizzler.
"Some kids don't have straight A's, but they're working hard," Cazier said. "As long as they're giving it their best effort, that's what counts."
Cazier said the program takes some of the responsibility off of the teachers.
"We're freeing up the teachers to do more teaching," he said. "They're not having to do all of the discipline."
He said everyone has to come together to make the schools better.
"We can't do it ourselves, we have to have community support and that includes the parents," he said. "We might together prevent another Columbine tragedy or worse."
