For Immediate Release

Tuesday, Oct. 29, 2019

Media Contact: Jordan Mayblum
Phone: 617-993-0003
Email: [email protected]

Russell Street Students Recognized for Earning Their STRIPEs at Year’s First All-School Meeting

LITTLETON — Students who made a difference in the classrooms and hallways of the Russell Street School were honored yesterday at the first school-wide meeting of the year. 

Newly implemented this year, the meetings serve as an opportunity to recognize students who have earned their STRIPEs by demonstrating a commitment to the school’s value system.

STRIPEs — Safety, Take Responsibility, Respect, Integrity, Perseverance and Empathy — is a new program developed over the summer by a group of 20 teachers, who sought a way to emphasize the importance of those values and behaviors and acknowledge students for living up to them in their day-to-day lives. 

On Monday, a student from each class who had earned a STRIPE — which are displayed on the school bulletin board —  since the start of the school year was selected at random for recognition in front of the entire student community. 

“I think the kids are really proud of it, and we were really excited to see that kids in all three grades are buying into this and striving to earn STRIPEs for different positive behaviors,” Interim Principal Cheryl Temple said. “The more teachers have given them out and singled out students for their contributions, the more kids understand exactly what they’ve done well and why it matters, not just in school but in the context of their lives.” 

An unexpected outcome, according to Temple, has been the level of pride students have shown when coming to the office and asking for the double-sided tape they use to stick their stripes to the bulletin board. Doing so, she said, gives students a chance to tell the story of what they did to earn their STRIPEs, and develop a stronger understanding of why those behaviors and values are meaningful.

At the meeting, each Russell Street teacher had a chance to recognize their students for their work living up to the STRIPE system in different ways, like listening attentively during morning meetings, working together to keep their classrooms clean or respecting the differences that make everyone unique. 

Then, they called the name of one student who had earned a STRIPE to come forward and be congratulated by the entire school with two claps and a thunderous stomp on the bleacher and gym floor. 

With the early success of the program, administrators are looking forward to expanding it further with new layers, including empowering students to take ownership of the school’s physical spaces by cleaning up after themselves at lunch or reporting when areas of the school need attention from custodians. 

In addition, teachers will soon have an opportunity to earn STRIPEs of their own after students have overwhelmingly indicated they would like the chance to recognize teachers in the same way they’re being honored. 

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