At Sea Gate Elementary, we have a valued PBIS system that uses Spirit Sticks to recognize and reinforce positive student behaviors, including kindness, responsibility, respect, perseverance, and school pride. The goal of the Spirit Stick program is to initially provide extrinsic motivation through meaningful, tangible recognition while intentionally guiding students toward intrinsic motivation. As students experience consistent recognition and understand the impact of their positive choices, we want them to develop an internal desire to demonstrate these behaviors because they are the right thing to do and contribute to a positive school community. Over time, Spirit Sticks will become a tool for strengthening and celebrating our school culture, with the ultimate goal of students demonstrating positive behaviors not because they expect a reward, but because they take pride in who they are and the community they help create.
Students at Sea Gate Elementary will have multiple opportunities to earn Spirit Sticks by demonstrating positive behaviors and meeting school-wide expectations. Students may earn a Spirit Stick by receiving a Positive Referral for demonstrating behaviors such as kindness, responsibility, respect, perseverance, or school pride. Students recognized as Student of the Month will also receive a Spirit Stick in recognition of their positive contributions and character. In addition, students who receive a Super Seahorse Card for demonstrating exceptional positive behavior will have their names entered into a weekly drawing. Each Friday, five students from every grade level will be selected and recognized on the school news. Students whose names are drawn will receive a Spirit Stick as a tangible celebration of their positive choices.
Students will collect their Spirit Sticks throughout the school year and attach them to their backpacks. This allows students to proudly display their accomplishments and provides a visible reminder of the positive behaviors they have demonstrated. Spirit Sticks also create opportunities for students, families, teachers, and other adults on campus to recognize and celebrate students' accomplishments. By making positive behavior visible and celebrated throughout the school, the program will help reinforce a culture where kindness, responsibility, respect, perseverance, and school pride are valued by the entire Sea Gate Elementary community.
The Spirit Stick program will directly impact all 621 students at Sea Gate Elementary by creating consistent, meaningful opportunities for students to be recognized for positive choices and contributions to our school community. The program will help students understand that behaviors such as kindness, responsibility, respect, perseverance, and school pride are valued and appreciated.
Students will benefit from receiving positive reinforcement and recognition for their accomplishments, which can increase their sense of confidence, belonging, and connection to their school. Because students can earn Spirit Sticks in multiple ways, the program provides opportunities for students with different strengths and abilities to experience success and recognition.
The visible display of Spirit Sticks on students' backpacks will also help create a positive school-wide culture. As students see their peers being recognized, they will have opportunities to celebrate one another's accomplishments and be encouraged to make positive choices themselves. Parents, teachers, and other adults on campus will also be able to recognize students' achievements and reinforce these behaviors.
Most importantly, the program is designed to have an impact beyond the tangible reward. While the Spirit Stick initially provides extrinsic motivation, the consistent recognition and celebration of positive behaviors will help students develop an internal understanding of why kindness, responsibility, respect, perseverance, and school pride matter. Over time, we hope students will demonstrate these behaviors because they take pride in themselves and their school community, even when there is no reward attached.
Grant funds will be used directly to purchase Spirit Sticks for the 621 students at Sea Gate Elementary. These tangible recognition items will be distributed throughout the school year to students who demonstrate positive behaviors, earn Positive Referrals, are selected as Student of the Month, or are recognized through the Super Seahorse Card weekly drawing. Funding will ensure that we have an adequate supply of Spirit Sticks to consistently recognize and celebrate student accomplishments throughout the school year. By investing directly in Spirit Sticks, the grant will support our PBIS initiative and help create a positive school culture where students are encouraged to demonstrate kindness, responsibility, respect, perseverance, and school pride.
Spirit sticks run about .65 cents per spirit stick. Discounts are usually applied when bought wholesale, which I will buy wholesale. I am requesting 800.00 dollars to ensure I have an adequate number of spirit sticks for the year. The goal is for students to earn many spirits sticks throughout the year to continue to reinforce our Sea Gate Expectations and positive behavior.
