IN Peters Township December 2021/January 2022 | Page 71

In the coming weeks , her Business students will also be helping out behind the counter when the shop opens to students in early December .
Once each week , a team of students also visit the warehouse and have work waiting for them there – pricing inventory , filling orders and selecting products for the school shop . Gaining even more experience that will benefit them when they seek employment in the future .
“ The real life application of what they are doing and accomplishing is phenomenal ,” Shehab said .
“ Our entire school has been excited about this venture and are ready to help ,”

THE KEY TO GOOD CHARACTER

Everyone in Peters Township School District knows that our elementary schools are full of HEROs , but this school year , we are challenging our HEROs to focus on strong character . The HERO program for students in grades K-5 – Helping Everyone Respect Others – has met with great success since it began . But as our team geared up for the new school year , they came up with an idea to make it even better !

“ By combining our HERO efforts with Character Counts we can have an even greater impact ,” said Fred Traumuller , Counselor at Bower Hill ( grades K-3 ). The key to their new effort though , is the collaboration and coordination between all three elementary schools .
“ Looking at our programs , I came up with a plan based on the idea that it would be useful for students to hear similar language regarding character growth and development across our schools ,” said Pleasant Valley Counselor Stephanie Ali who sparked the original idea .
The foundation of the effort is a “ Key Character Word ” that will be shared with teachers so they may integrate it into their own lessons and discussions in the classroom . The word of the month will be shared on the announcements and throughout the school and will also be communicated with families so that they may help support the theme of each month at home .
The Key Character Word display at Pleasant Valley that will be updated monthly . said Clancy . “ The Tech Ed teachers made nametags for our aprons , and the media department is helping to make training videos that can be used for new workers down the line .”
Eventually , Stawartz also plans for her Web Page Design Class to get involved in created a menu site with all the ordering options .
“ The unknown was scary ,” added Clancy . “ We didn ’ t know how our school or the students would respond to us . But the kids in the shop have responded to the support – they are invested and are working hard . This will only get better .”
Students filling orders for coffee flavors at the warehouse .
During Friendship Week students wore shirts about something they enjoyed !
Throughout the year , students also complete various service projects ( food drives , toy drives , collections for various causes ) that will be planned around the monthly theme and the events will be common among our elementary schools .
“ By having the common theme and sharing it with families , we can move the discussions out of our classrooms and into the homes as well ,” said Jamie Recker , McMurray Counselor . “ Our families have show tremendous support for these initiatives in the past and we hope that these efforts bring them into the conversation .”
Monthly HERO nominations will continue at each school but teachers are now encouraged to recognize students who make extra effort connected to that month ’ s key character word .

“ It ’ s our hope that these character words and concepts become an everyday part of our student ’ s vocabulary ,” said Ali . The initiative was kicked off in October with friendship as the key character word . In November , gratitude is the key word and this program is just one of the many things we have to be thankful for in our schools this year . eters Township

PETERS TOWNSHIP SCHOOL DISTRICT NEWS
PETERS TOWNSHIP ❘ DECEMBER 2021 / JANUARY 2022 69