PACIFIC, MO (August 2, 2024) - The Meramec Valley R-III School District is overjoyed to announce that five of its schools: Nike Elementary, Robertsville Elementary, Truman Elementary, Zitzman Elementary, and Riverbend Middle School have earned national recognition for a unique character program or initiative. Character.org, a leading advocate for cultivating the importance of character throughout American society and worldwide, certified 199 Promising Practices in schools and organizations.
Nike Elementary earned a Promising Practice for their Missouri Day. Missouri Day at Nike Elementary is an annual event where community members come to teach students about Missouri history, geography, famous explorers, and nature.
Truman’s Commitment, Celebration, & Community practice earns Promising Practice status. The Truman Elementary Reading Celebration is a yearly reading initiative to promote the love of reading as well as the recognition and validation of all the hard work students have accomplished throughout the school year. First, second, and third grade students are paired with a special adult, school or community member to celebrate their reading success. It’s common for the school superintendent, mayor, and fire department to join in the reading celebration.
Zitzman Elementary was committed to growing leaders throughout the school community. Each year 3rd and 4th grade students choose a leadership role they would like to be a part of in the school. Jobs included Cafeteria Leader, Counselor Leader, Art/Music/PE Leader, Library Leader, Announcement Leader, Hospitality Leader, Book Buddies, and Student Voice. Students work in these leadership positions 1-4 times a month.
Riverbend Middle School’s Promising Practice is based on Tribe Time. This practice reinforces student accountability through weekly grade checks while providing student voice and choice for embedded activities during the hour.
Robertsville Elementary earned two Promising Practices awards. The first, a Costume Closet, provides student learning opportunities by supporting families in the community. It offers a free store where families can shop for Halloween costumes. The second Promising Practice focuses on creating a caring community. Families, teachers, and staff create a Holiday Store where children can shop for gifts for their family members, ensuring everyone has a gift during the Christmas holiday.
Promising Practices align closely with the Meramec Valley School District's goals by promoting academic growth, fostering positive relationships and school culture, and cultivating leadership skills and civic responsibility among students. Through these aligned efforts, the district can effectively support individual student growth in both academics and citizenship, ensuring that each student feels valued and empowered to succeed.
MVR-III Superintendent Dr. Carrie Schwierjohn said of the awards, “The Meramec Valley R-III School District is so proud of the kind and thoughtful work our students and staff do to connect with our school community. The Missouri CharacterPlus Promising Practices awards are outstanding recognition and validation of our positive school cultures and the amazing talents of our students.”
For additional information, please visit characterplus.org/promisingpractices.