Miranda H. Lewis
Carter County Times
By now most people have read the Harry Potter series or have seen the movies, giving you at least a passing familiarity with the concept of scholastic houses like Gryffindor, Slytherin, Ravenclaw, and Hufflepuff.
You might think that houses and sorting ceremonies are all hullabaloo or that this type of system is irrelevant to anyone that teaches outside in the Muggle world.
But you would be wrong.
At the Ron Clark Academy (RCA), students learn math and history, but they also quickly realize that learning how to make eye contact and valuing friendly competition are just as important as core subjects.
Initially a nod to the Harry Potter series, The RCA, located in Atlanta, Georgia, models a common method in British boarding schools, by implementing their own house program.
The House system is a student-centered program that is designed to make every student feel valued and motivated to learn and behave.
This way of teaching is inspiring teachers, students, and administrators all over the world, including right here in Carter County.
West Carter Middle School (WCMS) is seeing results.
The House Systems program is based on a vision held by Kayla Bailey, WCMS Principal. Its inception was an effort to promote student identity, social and emotional intelligence, maturity, and presence in the community, she noted.
Bailey was encouraged by the RCA as a post-COVID motivation to boost morale.
“The goal of the House System is to promote a sense of belonging, camaraderie, and healthy competition among students,” said Bailey. “It helps create a supportive and inclusive environment where every student feels valued and motivated to succeed.”
“The House System fosters school spirit, teamwork and collaboration, as students work together with their housemates to achieve shared goals. It also encourages positive behavior and character development, as students strive to uphold their house’s core values,” she continued.
The system aims to enhance student engagement, foster a sense of community, and build a vibrant, supportive school culture.
“We have seen an increase in positive school culture and support for students who don’t naturally land in the typical peer groups of academics, sports or the arts,” said teacher Emaley Russell. “All students have a home at WCMS, and that home is their house.”
The system has been proven to increase one-on-one connections by giving students the opportunity to make a meaningful connection with someone they might not otherwise get to know.
The concept of the House system revolves around the idea that all staff and students are sorted into houses.
At the beginning of each school year, incoming sixth grade students are randomly assigned to a House in an inaugural-like ceremony, which features staff, students, and administration. Once students receive their House assignments, they are there for the duration of their time at WCMS.
Each house includes mixed-grade level groups of students and teachers, and they compete against each other for points in academic related activities and attendance inspired competitions. Students are also awarded points based on their display of character and participation in school events such as spirit week and minute-to-win-it games.
Bailey keeps a running leaderboard and the top-ranked House at the end of the year earns a grand prize as well as has their banner displayed at the entrance of the school.
The celebration gives the kids something to work toward that is not self-centered, instead it encourages them to work together and to always put forth their best effort when they come to school.
WCMS features four houses, Amistad, the red House (friendship); Isibindi, the green House (courage); Reveur, the blue House (dreamers); and Altruismo, the black House (courage).
The assigned houses become learning and leadership communities for students.
The system embraces and celebrates the school’s diversity by encompassing students of various backgrounds, ages, and academic abilities into a single group.
Each House has unique properties such as its own crest, sign, motto, and chants. Over time, individual houses start to take on their own values and personalities driven by the culture of the students and staff within them.
“The program has boosted student and staff morale,” said Russell. “Its design also improves engagement in activities from staff and students while providing incentives for academics, testing and attendance.”
“The house system is, in essence, a positive behavior program,” she said.
As a result of the unity created by the House system, Russell alluded to a reduction in disciplinary issues.
As a positive behavior program, this model is designed to instill, celebrate, and teach positive behavioral attributes to students, and support social and emotional wellness within the school, she noted.
Bailey said the House system is best described as “multifaceted” because it applies just as much to staff as it does to students.
The system promotes relationship building with staff, students, and community members while creating a culture that improves student conduct and fosters a feeling of collaboration and a sense of belonging.
Further, the program allows for the communal development of what Bailey describes as a “natural mentoring system,” owing to the presence of healthy competition as well as having a wide variety of age groups within one house.
Individually, students experience intrinsic benefits by making themselves a part of “something bigger than just themselves.”
“They are not responsible for just themselves anymore,” said Bailey. “Their behavior, their attitude, their work ethic, all of these things contribute to their house as a whole, and it is an opportunity for them to understand teamwork.”
Often teachers and students will lament that the school day has become too structured and stringent expectations make it seem impossible to incorporate fun into the learning experience, however, the House system has proven to be fun while serving a higher purpose at WCMS.
The system promotes a keen sense of belonging and thus increases academic engagement while giving students an occasional break from their routine to engage in healthy, spirited competition.
Although WCMS is a house divided, at the end of the day they are still one family.
Contact the writer at miranda@cartercountytimes.com
