Good students can even become principal for a day

Memorial Elementary Principal Ruby Handley has some little helpers at her school - and they are not elves.

They are students who are not naughty but nice and who have parlayed their consistent good behavior into serving as principal for a day.

Yanellis Linares was the latest of three students to become principal for a day and more are lined up after the winter break.

Like the actual principal and other school administrators, the students get to carry a two-way radio.

"We can always contact them on the radio; they are out patrolling the facility and checking on everything and just being everywhere," Handley said.

After partially implementing the Positive Behavior Support program last year, the school is really doing it this year, she said.

The program has been practiced at other schools in the district.

Students who show good behavior receive tickets, which is a major part of the program.

The tickets are named for an acronym representing the behavioral expectations of the school.

At Memorial Elementary, the tickets are called "S.T.A.R. Tickets," which stands for S - striving for excellence, T - taking on challenges, A - acting responsibly and R - respect for all people.

It takes 150 good-behavior tickets to wear the principal hat.

The older students understand a little more about saving as the younger students redeem a smaller number of tickets for school supplies and other special privileges, guidance counselor Erin Welch said.

A student is working toward saving 150 tickets to be the school's plant manager for a day, she said.

For 100 tickets, a student can eat lunch with the principal or assistant principal, and eat with their classroom teacher for 50 tickets.

For only 20 tickets, sitting in the teacher's chair is a very popular choice with students, Welch said.

The program has made of big difference at the school.

"Looking at our discipline referrals from last year versus this year, it has made a huge impact on behavior," Welch said.

Welch sets up a small store each morning in the school's cafeteria where students can redeem their S.T.A.R. tickets.

The school supplies sell like "hot cakes," she said. "We sell erasers, but they are cute erasers and we sell pencils and paper and folders."

Picture and chapter books are also sold, because a lot of kids don't have their own books at home, Welch noted.