Capturing Kids’ Hearts, Social Contracts & MTSS Integration

It’s a three-day Capturing Kids’ Hearts (CKH) training ( $3$ full days ).
Cost: $900$ per participant; described as expensive but “your cup will overflow.”
Strategy today: model key CKH tools teachers can implement immediately without attending the full workshop.

Stand at the door, greet each student by name & eye-contact.
- Examples: “Welcome, Susie—how are you today?” / “Hey, Sam. Good weekend?”
Sets expectation and positive tone before they enter.

Once seated, invite up to $3$ students to share a positive from their lives.
- Samples: sister’s birthday party, weekend roller-skating.
Purpose: community-building & optimism; cap at $3$ to keep momentum.

Teacher facilitates; students generate rules.
1. Ask: “How would you like to be treated by me, your teacher?”
- Responses collected: kindness, respect, fairness, honesty, grace, intentionality, empathy, understanding, fun.
1. Ask: “How should we treat each other in this classroom?”
- Responses: encouragement, forgiveness, value perspectives, active listening (“listen to listen”), interest, patience, assume positive intent, transparency, non-judgment.
1. Record on chart paper; place ✓ marks for duplicate ideas.
2. All students & teacher sign—creates a “living document.”
3. Accountability dialogue example:
- “Johnny, that’s your signature, right? Did you agree to respect others? Were you respectful? What will you do now?”
Clarification: teacher retains authority; distinguish classroom-level issues from office-referral issues.

End every class with a motivating send-off.
- Example affirmation slide: “You are heard, unique, important. You will succeed, and I believe in you.”
- Yesterday’s example: Stanford story that re-connected staff to their “why.”

District Code of Civility = Safe · Respectful · Responsible.
Posters available for classrooms; reinforce with explicit phrasing:
- Acknowledgment: “Thank you for being safe and walking.”
- Connected correction: “Please be safe and walk down the hall.”

MTSS applies to every student (foundation layer), covering both academics (MTSS-A) and behavior (MTSS-B).
Tiered approach: Tier $1$ (universal), Tier $2$ (targeted), Tier $3$ (intensive).

Liberty Store re-opens Fridays (≈ 3rd week). Currency shifting from “Rise Tickets” to Liberty Loot (name pending suggestions).
Store will be student-run (credit: Ms. Lei & Mr. Baker).
Classroom tools: Feedback Boards; Emergent Tree strategies.

Door charts/cards: students signal mood (thumbs-up, anxious, sad, angry, etc.).
Green responses → proceed; Yellow/Red → private follow-up or counselor referral.

Teacher = “captain of the ship”; avoid unnecessary office referrals (maintain power).
Classroom management vs. office referral: insults (e.g., “stupid”) = classroom issue unless escalated.
Sending a student out too quickly teaches them: “I can just go see admin and skip consequences.”

Word of the Year: Growth – thread through CKH, PBIS, MTSS.
Free snack resource for staff: Network of Ministries (Mon–Thu, max $10$ lb per visit).
Fun Fridays/computer-time incentives mentioned in Fundamental 5 session—admin will clarify policy.

Lead demonstrator: Mr. Gibson.
Slide commentary: Ms. Hemmer; counselors Savage & Whitehurst contributed.
MTSS overview by Laurel Dixon – $30$ years in education ( $19$ years 7th/8th ELA teacher). Personal snapshot:
- Children: $28$ -year-old (with $4$ kids + twins on the way), $23$ -year-old son, and two RISD students in grades $8$ & $6$ .

Co-authored norms empower student voice, foster mutual respect.
Consistency in rituals (greeting, good things, launch) enhances SEL & classroom climate.
MTSS ensures equity via layered supports rather than labeling.
Positive-economy systems teach responsibility and celebrate achievements.