We sat down with Mrs. Gonzales to discuss the newest point system that everyone on campus is talking about.
What is the Hero System?
“[It’s a system that] reinforces positive behavior [and] clear expectations for conduct. [It] makes sure [to] reinforce the things kids do right everyday by being scholars, achievers, and champions. Through this, students get points they can redeem for prizes in the Shark Shop. They’re [The points] are called Shark Bites.”
Do you think this will be effective?
“I hope so…”
Will students be able to track their points, and if so how?
“Students will eventually be able to track their points on an app. We aren’t there yet, but they’ll be able to do that, as well as being rewarded for being involved in extracurricular activities such as being an athlete or in a performing art group.”
How does the reward system work?
“It’s 25, 50, and 100 points, so you can stockpile your points or turn them in for smaller prizes like key chains, lanyards, and front of the line passes, or you can hold your points and get five dollars off [of] food, five dollar little Caesar pizza, [or a] free tardy pass. The higher points include VIP parking in the staff lot, movie tickets, extra graduation tickets, and stuff like that. I think the rewards are pretty good rewards that students will like. That’s the positive piece of Hero.”
That was the positive side, what about the negative?
“I wouldn’t call it negative really, again, an important part of coming to school is being on time, not only to school, but to class. So, we’re coming out with a new tardy policy. The first six tardies, not by class, but in total- so you can basically be late one time to each class for the entire semester, or six times to one class, but it’s not six times per class- your parents will receive an email for each tardy, seven and eight is a thirty minute detention, nine and ten is a one hour detention, and tardies after that you will have a meeting with your assistant principle and [most likely] receive a Saturday school, depending on [how long] the issue [continues]. The other two things are out of bounds at lunch or missing I.D. card, if you don’t have your I.D. card at school you are going to get two warnings and then you’ll be escorted to the Shark Shop to purchase a new one, because we want everyone to have their I.D. cards on them every day.”
How long has this program been in the process?
“We started at the beginning of the school year and it’s taken a full semester to get everybody trained and to start getting the word out.”
Why did you decide to start the program this year?
“It was something we wanted to try and pilot. The district asked us if we wanted to try and pilot this new program and [since] we have awesome kids, we wanted to make sure they were getting rewarded.”
Are we the first high school to partake in this system?
“Yes, [but] River Heights [Intermediate School] is doing it too, but they aren’t a high school, so we wanted to see how it would work on a high school campus.”
A few teachers have already started discussing their feelings about the program and they feel that this program will be slightly ineffective, because students will start to feel entitled to the rewards given for their good deeds, which shouldn’t be the case. How do you feel about that?
“I understand that perspective, but it can’t hurt. I don’t know that the kids will feel entitled, I guess we’re going to have to see how it rolls out, but we have great kids here and want to encourage them to continue doing the right thing every day. So, if we can take the opportunity to throw out some points to redeem some cool prizes, I think it can’t hurt, [but] if we see that kids start to feel entitled [and] are crying because they aren’t getting their hero points, then we need to revisit and reevaluate the program.”
How does the point system work?
“Everything is one point. Now, we can adjust it and teachers can also give it in classes- teachers are giving points for proper use of cellphone, being on task and on time, [and] being prepared for class. So, starting in January, teachers are also going to be able to issue those points.”
What are those guidelines for teachers? Will they use it as a participation point system, so if they raise their hand, they get a hero point?
“It could be, [but] right now, we are rolling out a list for what teachers can give points for that teachers decided and students decided [upon]. We had a parent committee, student committee, and teacher committee all coordinating and putting input on what this program does. It’s not like administration figured it all out and that’s why it took so long [and why we’re] starting second semester, because we got feedback form so any different groups on campus, that are students, that are teachers, and that are parents as well.”
Are points able to be taken away?
“No, [one] cannot take away point.”
As the new school year begins, do the accounts restart or do the points continue to accumulate?
“Right now, in January, everyone’s accounts will be reset, because we’ve been practicing, so all accounts will be reset and [then] we’ll hit hard January and really have fun with it and then you’ll want to redeem your points, I think by May and will restart again for next year, and at the end of this year, we’ll decide if students will be able to carry over their points form semester to semester or if it will reset every semester.”
