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MFL MarMac Character Education Days aim to bring students and staff together

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The MFL MarMac McGregor Center held its first Character Education Day on Sept. 30. The initiative aims to bring not only the building together, but create better individuals within the school, according to teacher Lindsey Fisk. Charades was one of the activities included in the first day. (Photo by Audrey Posten)

By Audrey Posten, Times-Register

 

The MFL MarMac McGregor Center is piloting a series of Character Education Days this school year. The initiative aims to bring not only the building together, but create better individuals within the school, according to teacher Lindsey Fisk, who spoke at the Oct. 10 school board meeting.

 

“The goals are to build relationships between students and staff, students and other students and also the staff within the staff,” she explained. “We’re hoping these days improve attendance, improve behaviors and maybe improve academics and develop well-rounded individuals.”

 

The first Character Ed Day was held Sept. 30, the Friday of homecoming week. One will be held each month through the remainder of the school year, with the exception of April, when two days will be held due to Easter break and conferences.

 

Fourth through eighth grade students are split into 13 teams, each with 22 to 23 students. There are also two staff members per team. Fisk, for example, is paired another teacher. However, paraprofessionals, guidance counselors and other staff are participating too.

 

Students were named to their teams during an assembly the opening morning, then met at their “headquarters.”

 

“We did some get to know you activities because some of our fourth graders don’t know our eighth graders or, for me, I didn’t know my fourth and fifth graders,” Fisk said. “Then we had to develop a team name and team flag.”

 

Each team name had to include a character trait, color and animal.

 

“My team is the Empathetic Black Bed Bugs,” Fisk quipped.

 

Teams later competed against the other groups in football charades, acting out a football related topic. They also participated in a watermelon relay, where the team had to carry a watermelon and run around Turner Park.

 

“Every member of the team had to carry the watermelon at some point and you had to stay together as a team. So even my fastest runner had to stay back,” Fisk shared. “When we got to the shelter, the adults cut up the watermelon and the students had to eat it. When it was all gone, they had to do one more lap as a team.”

 

The day concluded with lunch together as a team, followed by a pep rally in the gym.

 

Fisk said Character Education Days include a point scoring system. For example, the top three teams in the watermelon relay received points, and they were also rewarded for charades, dressing up during homecoming week and positive behavior, such as showing kindness to others.

 

Teams were docked points for unexcused absences, late work, detentions and disrespectful behavior.

 

“The winning team with the most points at the end of each Character Ed Day will get a trophy that will travel from headquarters to headquarters—and root beer floats,” Fisk said. “We’re hoping that will promote some better behavior and academics throughout the building.”

 

Feedback has been positive so far, according to Fisk and middle school principal Denise Mueller.

 

“I think, regardless of their age, they thought it was cool,” Fisk said. “I sat back and let them lead, which was cool to see how they stepped up and encouraged each other. I had two or three students who refused to run Turner Park, but every single one ran that lap and ran together. Making connections outside the classroom was huge for them. Every student felt like they were part of the team.”

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