Being courteous is cool
By ROBERT LINNEHAN
The Cherry Hill Sun
3/14/2008

Kilmer Elementary constitution rewards students for doing something right while building character for the future

Instead of focusing on catching their students in the act of doing something wrong, Joyce Kilmer Elementary school teachers and administrators are focusing their attention on catching their students doing something right.

As part of a Cherry Hill School District-wide initiative to mold its students into responsible and caring citizens, Joyce Kilmer Elementary School’s Kilmer Constitution program encourages students to mold their behavior around the school’s four root values.

The Kilmer Constitution program, Principal Broderick Boxley said, is a successful program in its third year of existence that encourages students to treat each other with respect through positive enforcement.

“Our district is very serious about character education and developing our students to be successful future members of society,” Boxley said. “As a school, we figured we would all benefit from a constitution or a community agreement about how we should all treat each other in our everyday lives. Why shouldn’t boys and girls, teachers, staff and parents all know what we value as a school?”

Children who are observed by certain teachers or administrators demonstrating one of the four root values identified in the Kilmer Constitution receive Kilmer Cub Coupons, which can be used by students to receive fun privileges.

Students are asked to mold their everyday behavior around the constitution’s four roots. Boxley said students are asked to be responsible, be safe, be courteous and be respectful of each other to receive Kilmer Coupons.

The program has been so successful in the school, Boxley said, students now view the act of behaving courteously to their fellow classmates and teachers as a cool thing to do.

“This has been a very successful program in our school, even since its inception. These kids have a real sense of belonging in our school because of the constitution,” Boxley said. “The students know that learning and growing is valued at our school, even at the youngest grade levels. It has changed what’s cool at our school. What’s cool is living up to the constitution.”

Additionally, the school holds a special once-a-month Kilmer Day celebration to highlight students who have best exemplified the constitution’s values.

For example, if a student has written a song or crafted an essay that a teacher feels represents the Kilmer Constitution well, the students are able to perform their piece in front of their peers.

The Cub Community Council, a group consisting of several teachers and administrators in the school, promote the program within the school and are the only members of the faculty who can award students with the coupons.

Boxley said the group was created through a state educational grant awarded to the school.

“We’re way past the days of when schools were just all about law and order, students sitting in their seats all day, every day,” Boxley said.

“We’re grooming our students to be critical thinkers and to be able to interact positively in society.”

The idea for the Kilmer Constitution program was devised three years ago when leading research revealed that students who focus on certain positive values tend to perform better academically, Boxley said.

Students were involved heavily in the construction of the program when it was being crafted, with their input eventually forming the constitution’s classroom behavior section.

The constitution program will continue to be an intricate part of the lives of each student in the Joyce Kilmer Elementary School for years to come, Boxley said, as long as students keep reacting favorably to the program.

“A lot of research, as well as common sense, shows that an organization thrives when its members each share a set of common values,” Boxley said. “Our values are well known and acknowledged by all of the students and faculty members in our school. We all have a common purpose.”

For more information on the Joyce Kilmer Elementary School’s upcoming programs and events, please visit the Cherry Hill School District Web site at cherryhill.k12.nj.us and select the school’s link.