Bricks of Success
The entryway of Seeds of Health Elementary is adorned with a wall of nearly 300 red paper “bricks”, and a banner reading “Keeping Our Promises: Building a Wall of Success”. On each brick is the name and photo of an individual child, and a promise, written in the child’s hand, that he/she has made to himself/herself or the community this year. Examples of these promises include “Respect Others”, “Share”, “Use Kind Words”, “Be The Best I Can Be”, “Care For Others”, “Do My Best”, and “Never Say Never.” Definitely, when implemented in conjunction with our Capturing Kids' Hearts philosophy and each classroom’s contract, the bricks become a meaningful, tangible extension of the developing character traits of the child. These bricks are replaced annually for one simple reason: they wear out! The school has found that when students clearly understand the behavior expectations that have been compiled by their classroom community, behavior problems are rare. Many of the parents are so proud to see their child’s photo and handwriting on the wall. The bricks serve as a physical and psychological touchstone as they enter and leave the building.