Danville Independent School District

Edna L. Toliver Intermediate School has a creative way of celebrating and teaching about positive behavior — BLUE points, which are awarded both on individual and class levels and reviewed every month.

The overall class winner, or the class that earns the most BLUE Points schoolwide, gets a trophy for the month.

The classes with the most points per grade levels are rewarded with dance parties and other incentives. This month, Kristen Gibson’s third-grade class was the overall class winner.

On an individual level, students can win prizes like toys and lunches with the principal and other staff from the BLUE Store, where students can redeem their points for prizes.

There are four pillars under the BLUE Points system: Be Prepared, Live Responsibly, Unite and Earn and Give Respect. There are separate expectations using the pillars for all of the common areas of the school, like the stairs and hallways, the cafeteria, the playground, buses, and other areas. Posters of expectations are hung up in different areas of the building.

Overall Class Winner
“I am so proud of my students!” Gibson said. “From the first day, I let them know how lucky I was to be teaching the best class in the school.”

She said, “These students are determined, respectful, and work well together. They know I have high expectations, and they rise to the occasion.”

She said other teachers awarded her students points for walking quietly in the hallways and common areas and being well-behaved in arts classes.

Gibson’s class was also the winner of the food drive held in November.

“This group of students is quite competitive!” she said. “They decided from the very beginning that they were going to work together to collect as many canned goods as possible. They did just that, collecting over 400 items!”

Student Camden Miracle said the class got a popcorn party when they won the food drive.

Student Jaycee Morse said, “We’re the best class in the school.”

“Best class in the universe,” Camden added.

Second-grade Class Winner
“I feel very proud of each student in my classroom for working together as a team in hopes of being the highest BLUE Point classroom in second grade,” Robyn Leigh said.

She said her class won their points by showing they were engaged with their learning and responsible for their tasks.

“Also, they have worked hard in transition times by walking in the hallway with a level 0 voice,” she added.

She said BLUE Points inspire excitement in students to earn them while also learning valuable life skills.

“I am most proud of their student engagement in the classroom and their desire to learn each and every day.

They soak up new things like a sponge, and as their teacher, it makes me so proud of them.”

Fourth-grade Class Winner
For the winning class in fourth grade, the class John Collier and Molly Cooper co-teach earned the title.

“We are so proud of our class! “ the teachers said. “They have worked hard to follow all directions and be respectful across all settings in the school. It is awesome to see their hard work pay off!”

“We asked our class what they did to earn BLUE points and here is how they answered — to be respectful to friends and adults, being kind to others, listening in the hallways, being quiet, and doing what you are supposed to do,” Cooper said. “Mr. Collier and I would echo their answers! The best way for our class to get BLUE points has been following the directions in the hallway — even when other students may not be making the same choices. “

Like Leigh, the teachers said BLUE Points help students learn lessons that will serve them for life, beyond the classroom.

“We believe that students can learn to be respectful of their surroundings, peers, and adults. We asked the students what they learned from following the BLUE pillars and they stated to be respectful and to treat others the way you want to be treated.”

Fifth-grade Class Winner
Susan Wheeler described her class as highly-motivated and determined to reach their goals.

“I gave my class a goal to earn and that was the area we practiced the most,” she said. “I saw a need for better restroom procedures and challenged my class to exhibit good leadership during this transition.”

She said, “I love BLUE points because it gives students a motivator to show these leadership qualities. They encourage students to follow procedures, be helpful to others, and be respectful. Students can take these characteristics with them outside of our school district and in their future.”