FC students to grow with their project

BY REBEKAH BROWN

Times-Shamrock Writer

FORESTCITY- Students atForestCityRegionalElementary Schoolspent their second day of school planting trees around the campus Tuesday.

A ring of children in multi-colored polo T-shirts and bright, new school shoes gathered around a newly planted red leaf maple tree, a symbol of the kickoff of the school year and a new behavior incentive program.

“When you grow up you can always say, ‘When I was in third grade I helped plant this tree,’ ” school counselor Sharon Paone, a member of the FCR staff for 28 years, said to the third graders.

Each student then took a turn throwing a shovel full of dirt into the hole, helping to plant their class tree. Each grade level planted a tree Tuesday, a physical symbol of the schoolwide goal to become Mighty Forresters, the school mascot.

Paone read a poem with each class, sharing how both the students and the trees will grow. This year, the students also will follow a new behavior program called Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports.

The program focuses on positive behaviors and rewards for students who exhibit them.

The research-based program tracks behavioral data kept on each student every day. Students can earn weekly and monthly rewards by exhibiting positive behavior.

“It’s nice to see it starting,” learning support teacher, Michelle Lesjack, 37, said. “It’s a good way to get them excited.”

Third-grade teacher Kelly Shelp, 30, commented that she had already seen the program “taking off.”

The staff spent a year training to implement the program, and Lesjack said she enjoyed seeing the students, like third-grader Sabrina Cimoch, 8, invested in it.

“I liked planting the tree when we put the shovel in,” Sabrina said, adding that she looks forward to showing the tree to her children someday.