BearNation Volume 5 Issue 1 | Page 37

An interesting fact about the Chandler and Brownsboro Elementary campuses is that you can even find books in vending machines .
“ We are thrilled to be able to offer new books for students as a reward with our book vending machine ,” CES principal Ricky Daily said . “ It ’ s been fun watching students who have earned a token select their book and get excited about reading .”
With the help of the Brownsboro ISD Education Foundation , parent-teacher organizations and fundraisers , both schools received a Bookworm Vending Machine at the end of the last school year .
Elementary principals and staff have implemented incentive plans where students can earn a token to get a book from the vending machine as a reward . The children get an opportunity to do this every week during the school year .
At BES , staff has formulated the “ BEST Bear ” program . Students will have their name added to this program each week if they show their best behavior , show their best effort , have perfect attendance or are respectful and responsible .
CES has a similar incentive plan , but it has been tokened , no pun intended , “ Books for Bears .”
This program has three ways that a student can earn a token . They can receive a positive office referral , their name can be drawn for having perfect attendance that week or their name can be pulled from the “ High Five ” drawings .
In order to have their name added to the “ High Five ” pool , students must prove to any staff member that they are working hard to do their “ bear-y ” best . They can achieve this by reaching an academic or behavior goal , by exhibiting exceptional behavior in areas outside the classroom and just by simply being respectful and using manners .
In such a short time , the “ BEST Bear ” and “ Books for Bears ” programs have really taken off .
At CES , when a student receives a positive office referral , they get to pick a book from the vending machine . Their picture is then taken and posted for the whole campus to see .
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