By ANNA NGUYEN

Courier-Post Staff

Every principal dreads office visits from students misbehaving in school.

A new program at Maude M. Wilkins Elementary School has reduced these visits to Principal Scott Arnauer.

It has also earned the school national honors.

In September, faculty and staff introduced an “action level” program that addresses acceptable behavior for the school’s 330 third- and fourth-graders. Teachers can easily tell students their behavior is outstanding (Level 3), acceptable (Level 2), or that they are misbehaving (Level 1).

“Every student and adult is on the same page regarding what is expected,” said Arnauer.

The program has reduced trips to the principal’s office from 109 last year to 48 from September through February.

Fourth-grader Kelli Fitzpatrick said she sees everyone using the guide in class, lunch and recess.

“(Students) remind themselves to be good with the action levels,” Kelli said.

This program and three others earned the school Promising Practice Awards from the Washington, D.C.-based Character Education Partnership. The nonprofit group promotes the concept of character education and encourages schools to proactively design programs to promote ethical, responsible and caring young people.

The other programs involve introducing the students to the action levels the first week of school through activities, a recess reflection journal for students to write about their behavior and a program where students write positive poems about classmates.

The school will officially receive the awards at the organization’s October national conference in Atlanta.

“It’s unusual that a school would be awarded so many,” said Janice Stoodley, director of the National Schools of Character program, which gives awards to schools for specific practices like those at Maude Wilkins. “They were all just outstanding practices.”

Teachers have noticed changes in behavior.

“It’s easier for them to see they’re doing something wrong faster,” said Christian Lehmann, the health and physical education teacher. Lehmann got the idea for the program after attending a conference in Atlantic City last year.

– Anna Nguyen