January students-of-the-month at Carteret Elementary School are, from left, rear, Ema Rivera, third grade; Felicia Suhkraj, fifth grade, Adelle Reyes Volquez, sixth grade; and Renata Ronquillo, fourth grade; and front, Santileys Escobar, first grade; Sofia Ortiz, second grade; Jason Valdez, first grade; Thriana Suero, kindergarten; and Anthony Matthews, first grade.
Every which way it can, Carteret Elementary School finds a path to encourage their students. One example is a pizza party, with Principal John Baltz, for K-6 students deemed students-of-the-month.
A combination of factors is the measuring stick that will put a kid on top: academics, behavior, leadership and character. A student can be crowned only once a year.
”What we like about this, and what it says,” Baltz said over a slice of pizza, with six of the kids in his office last Friday, “is that if someone doesn’t excel at school, they still can have excellent qualities. This recognition is encouragement for motivation.”
The school has been doing this, acknowledging a student of the month, for a dozen years.
“We try to celebrate a student’s successes as much as possible,” he continued. “We just started acknowledging attendance and also if the student is everyday on time. Even for these, on a monthly basis, we award a certificate and have them pick something from Marissa’s treasure box.”
Marissa Acosta, the school guidance counselor, stocks the treasury.
Celebrating perfect attendance is a good fit for encouraging kids to come to school. According to Acosta, about 136 Carteret students came to class every day in December, impressive when you realize there are about 390 students in the school.
Three years ago, she said because of the rate of absenteeism, there was a push for improved attendance. This effort morphed into mentorships and student attendance problems were handled apart from this. “We hope to see attendance improve more,” Acosta said.
Leadership is measured to become a student-of-the-month. But how to quantify leadership in a six-year-old?
“It’s exhibited in helpfulness,” Acosta said, “in tying a student’s shoe and helping with chairs. Leadership and character intertwine.”
On a student report card, in addition to graded subjects, a pupil is measured on following written and oral directions, working independently and cooperatively, participation, completing classwork and homework, following rules, producing their best work, demonstrating self-control and taking responsibility for their actions.
Of the six children in Baltz’s office for pizza, only one had been in the room before. This was fifth-grader Felicia Sukhraj. She had been chosen student-of-the-month in first and second grades.
“I try to be myself, but I try my hardest,” she answered when asked about her recipe for success. Sixth-grader Adele Reyes said she did not try to be the best student, just herself, and was surprised when she was chosen. Her brother, Matthew, is a fourth-grader.
Students-of-the-month are announced over the PA system and then the parent is called up by Baltz to inform them and to set up the pizza lunch. Often when he calls, the parent thinks immediately there’s a problem at school.
“We try to break down that ‘we against them’ barrier,” he said. “It’s more about families.”
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