Schools promote seeing and valuing students and practicing energy-generating behaviors

by Mary Jo David

The 2024/2025 school year is kicking off with a new theme: We want you here!

According to Jeff Trapp, principal at the Stockbridge Jr. / Sr. High School, the district is hoping to not just reverse the recent decline in daily attendance, but rather, they’d like to see attendance skyrocket this year.

“We can only do that when students feel seen, valued, and sense that they belong,” Trapp said.

Staff who attended the Welcome Back breakfast on August 13 took away ideas for how to encourage these senses in students district-wide.

Making eye contact with students as they pass in the hallway and greeting students by name are two of the ways to ensure students they are being seen. Taking time to get to know students, accepting them individually, seeing them through a positive lens, and acknowledging victories—big and small—will help students feel valued. And allowing them to be themselves and accepting them for who they are, not necessarily who everyone wants them to be, can boost students’ sense of belonging.

Principal Meghan Kunzelman projected similar thoughts to the staff, reminding them that Stockbridge Schools wants the staff to feel valued.

“All of you—as staff members—we want you here, and we want you to stay here,” Kunzelman remarked.

Trapp introduced a magic tool, one that he referred to as a “life-sustaining tool,” for fueling enthusiasm and creating energy among the staff and students. He called these “energy-generating behaviors” or “EGBs” for short; tools that are often used by coaches to inspire teams to achieve success.

EGBs can be as simple as delivering a high-five, a slap on the back, a fist bump or a floor slap—anything that conveys positivity and demonstrates energy. Student in school and those visiting should not be surprised to see staff and fellow students displaying EGBs throughout the day to reduce negativity and provide a jolt of energy that doesn’t come from a can.

Putting grant money to work for the district

At the Welcome Back Staff Breakfast, Steve Keskes, director of grants and academic innovation, announced three recent grants awarded to the school district in time for the 2024/25 school year.

On August 22, students and staff in the district worked together to erect a hoop house, similar to a greenhouse, for growing vegetables. The project will be overseen by the agriculture and construction programs. (See full story in September edition.)

The school district is slated to be the recipient of four new electric buses, thanks to combined grants awarded by the federal government, state of Michigan, and Consumers Power. These buses should reduce operating costs from 90 cents per mile to 40 cents per mile and will be much quieter than older gas-powered buses.

The district leveraged resources in areas where they were saving money and applied those funds to purchase a new, 10-passenger van for the district. The intent is for the van to be used for transporting smaller teams and groups to their competitions and events.

Photos by Mary Jo David

Left to right: Kristie Knieper and Carolyn Malinski demonstrate their energy-generating handshake.

Left to right: Cheryl Walsh, Steve Allison, and Chris Conley “bring it in” to demonstrate another energy-generating behavior.

Left to right: Eryn McDowell, Kaitlyn True, and Emma Gray show off their energy-generating floor tap.

Steve Keskes, director of grants and academic innovation, announces three recent grants awarded to the school district in time for the 2024/25 school year.

Keskes (left) and Meghan Kunzelman, Heritage principal, provide a sneak preview of the 2024 Stockbridge staff t-shirts.

All who attended the Welcome Back Staff Breakfast recognized the food-service staff for their efforts. Pictured left to right: Jodi Steenbeke, Laura Fitzsimmons, Stephanie White, Kim Machette, Lori Cook, Sue Gasieski, Teresa Michalski.