Maranatha Christian School's students earned 117 thousand House Points for positive behavior in 2021-2022.
“How are we teaching kindness to our students?”
A parent came into Kelly Rodriguez's office one day and asked that. Kelly, who is the Middle School Principal at Maranatha Christian Schools, first thought, “well of course we are.”
But as she reflected, she realized that it wasn’t being taught in a codified way besides certain lesson plans or in-the-moment interactions. Kelly set out to change this, which brought her to House Points.
“How are we teaching kindness to our students?”
A parent came into Kelly Rodriguez's office one day and asked that. Kelly, who is the Middle School Principal at Maranatha Christian Schools, first thought, “well of course we are.”
But as she reflected, she realized that it wasn’t being taught in a codified way besides certain lesson plans or in-the-moment interactions. Kelly set out to change this, which brought her to House Points.
“How are we teaching kindness to our students?”
A parent came into Kelly Rodriguez's office one day and asked that. Kelly, who is the Middle School Principal at Maranatha Christian Schools, first thought, “well of course we are.”
But as she reflected, she realized that it wasn’t being taught in a codified way besides certain lesson plans or in-the-moment interactions. Kelly set out to change this, which brought her to House Points.
With House Points, students get points for good behavior, and all the points add up in a House competition.
The results have been astounding. Not only has it taught kindness, but across the building and throughout those tough middle school years, House Points have helped Kelly and her team weave camaraderie into the fabric of the school.
Kelly first heard of House Points from Harry Potter. As she set out to research them, she found the Ron Clark Academy, which has many great resources for schools looking to build this type of program.
One of the facets she wanted to avoid though was paper. Many educators know just how much work it is to design, print, laminate, and distribute paper bucks – and kids are prone to lose them anyway. In fact, one teacher said to Kelly:
“I just can’t pass out another piece of paper.”
That’s how Kelly found LiveSchool, which offers digital points tracking and a House Points system with built-in reporting.
In place of a magic sorting hat, the task fell to Kelly. She decided to create four houses with 56 students in each. Kelly intentionally made sure the houses were blended, meaning they had students from across grade levels in them.
“And I thought: How can I get a sixth grade to talk to an eighth-grader? How can I get an eighth-grader to mentor a sixth-grader? Houses were a huge building block for this. We don’t just have the sixth grade, seventh grade, and eighth grade. They are all intermixed. They are all equal.”
The four houses are Borealis, Loma, Vanguard, and Odyssey. Each house has its own color, crest, and trait.
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Yes, the houses create friendly competition. Yes, they build identity among their students. But Kelly always reminds the students, that they are four houses and one family.
Kelly first heard of House Points from Harry Potter. As she set out to research them, she found the Ron Clark Academy, which has many great resources for schools looking to build this type of program.
One of the facets she wanted to avoid though was paper. Many educators know just how much work it is to design, print, laminate, and distribute paper bucks – and kids are prone to lose them anyway. In fact, one teacher said to Kelly:
“I just can’t pass out another piece of paper.”
That’s how Kelly found LiveSchool, which offers digital points tracking and a House Points system with built-in reporting.
In place of a magic sorting hat, the task fell to Kelly. She decided to create four houses with 56 students in each. Kelly intentionally made sure the houses were blended, meaning they had students from across grade levels in them.
“And I thought: How can I get a sixth grade to talk to an eighth-grader? How can I get an eighth-grader to mentor a sixth-grader? Houses were a huge building block for this. We don’t just have the sixth grade, seventh grade, and eighth grade. They are all intermixed. They are all equal.”
The four houses are Borealis, Loma, Vanguard, and Odyssey. Each house has its own color, crest, and trait.
Yes, the houses create friendly competition. Yes, they build identity among their students. But Kelly always reminds the students, that they are four houses and one family.
Students at Maranatha receive House Points throughout the day for anything positive. This can include:
Students can get points at any time, and this is key! Any staff member can award points – in the hallway, during drop off/recess, and at assemblies. That way the competition is always on – and students are always motivated!
While students can receive points individually, students can earn points together as teams.
These events keep the House system fun, team-centered, and consistent!
.png)
And throughout it all. Maranatha has a TV installed in their main hallway showing the point totals for the houses like the image above. Kelly notes, “I’ll hear students say: ‘Oh my gosh Tommy you earned us points!’ and high-fiving. That’s an eighth-grader to a sixth-grader or sixth-graders to a seventh-grader.”
That’s what Kelly was looking for when she launched this initiative: those moments that they cheer each other on.
“It’s horizontal and vertical alignment of student kindness, student togetherness, and student growth.”
Students have all these points. Now, they need to use them! The majority of the Maranatha system is built on pride in your house and earning points for the glory of it.
But there are some opportunities to spend. For example, they have a student store that students use their LiveSchool bucks to enter. Once in it, they can claim a small prize like a snack or toy. Students can also save up their points to buy a house shirt. In a school with a uniform, this special shirt gives students a chance to dress down while repping their House.
The majority of the prizes, however, cost the school nothing. Every month, the winning house gets a prize together that’s something like free dress, a homework pass, extra recess, longer lunch, or house game time. Students love them all – and Maranatha doesn't have to spend a dime. Win, win!
These prizes also build camaraderie among students who get to play and engage with each other as a prize for their teamwork.
“We earned this.” Maranatha Students
Then, at the end of the year, there is the pennant party, which is a school barbeque with snacks, games, craft tables, and bounce houses. The House with the most points for the year gets early access, extra pizza, and an entire snack tent to themselves. Every student, regardless of House, gets to enjoy the party.
House Points gives the Maranatha community countless opportunities for celebration and community-building. Students grow closer with their Houses, but the system also enables students to get to know all staff and staff to get to know all students.
Suddenly, students are actively seeking out different teachers and staff, and the non-instructional staff is now interacting with students regularly. So not only has it built camaraderie between students, the Houses have built camaraderie across the community. That camaraderie is built on good deeds, togetherness, and kindness.
We can quantify Maranatha’s usage of LiveSchool, the points they’ve awarded, and the LiveSchool points students have spent. But we simply cannot put a number on community, confidence, and authenticity.
“How are we teaching kindness to our students?”
A parent came into Kelly Rodriguez's office one day and asked that. Kelly, who is the Middle School Principal at Maranatha Christian Schools, first thought, “well of course we are.”
But as she reflected, she realized that it wasn’t being taught in a codified way besides certain lesson plans or in-the-moment interactions. Kelly set out to change this, which brought her to House Points.
I am not getting in front of our kids and saying be kind to one another. But as they realize that their peers are humans too and it is beyond their friend group, you see those moments. That is what I love. That is why I love Houses.
With House Points, students get points for good behavior, and all the points add up in a House competition.
The results have been astounding. Not only has it taught kindness, but across the building and throughout those tough middle school years, House Points have helped Kelly and her team weave camaraderie into the fabric of the school.
Kelly first heard of House Points from Harry Potter. As she set out to research them, she found the Ron Clark Academy, which has many great resources for schools looking to build this type of program.
One of the facets she wanted to avoid though was paper. Many educators know just how much work it is to design, print, laminate, and distribute paper bucks – and kids are prone to lose them anyway. In fact, one teacher said to Kelly:
“I just can’t pass out another piece of paper.”
That’s how Kelly found LiveSchool, which offers digital points tracking and a House Points system with built-in reporting.
In place of a magic sorting hat, the task fell to Kelly. She decided to create four houses with 56 students in each. Kelly intentionally made sure the houses were blended, meaning they had students from across grade levels in them.
“And I thought: How can I get a sixth grade to talk to an eighth-grader? How can I get an eighth-grader to mentor a sixth-grader? Houses were a huge building block for this. We don’t just have the sixth grade, seventh grade, and eighth grade. They are all intermixed. They are all equal.”
The four houses are Borealis, Loma, Vanguard, and Odyssey. Each house has its own color, crest, and trait.
Yes, the houses create friendly competition. Yes, they build identity among their students. But Kelly always reminds the students, that they are four houses and one family.
Students at Maranatha receive House Points throughout the day for anything positive. This can include:
Students can get points at any time, and this is key! Any staff member can award points – in the hallway, during drop off/recess, and at assemblies. That way the competition is always on – and students are always motivated!
While students can receive points individually, students can earn points together as teams.
These events keep the House system fun, team-centered, and consistent!
And throughout it all. Maranatha has a TV installed in their main hallway showing the point totals for the houses like the image above. Kelly notes, “I’ll hear students say: ‘Oh my gosh Tommy you earned us points!’ and high-fiving. That’s an eighth-grader to a sixth-grader or sixth-graders to a seventh-grader.”
That’s what Kelly was looking for when she launched this initiative: those moments that they cheer each other on.
“It’s horizontal and vertical alignment of student kindness, student togetherness, and student growth.”
Students have all these points. Now, they need to use them! The majority of the Maranatha system is built on pride in your house and earning points for the glory of it.
But there are some opportunities to spend. For example, they have a student store that students use their LiveSchool bucks to enter. Once in it, they can claim a small prize like a snack or toy. Students can also save up their points to buy a house shirt. In a school with a uniform, this special shirt gives students a chance to dress down while repping their House.
The majority of the prizes, however, cost the school nothing. Every month, the winning house gets a prize together that’s something like free dress, a homework pass, extra recess, longer lunch, or house game time. Students love them all – and Maranatha doesn't have to spend a dime. Win, win!
These prizes also build camaraderie among students who get to play and engage with each other as a prize for their teamwork.
“We earned this.” Maranatha Students
Then, at the end of the year, there is the pennant party, which is a school barbeque with snacks, games, craft tables, and bounce houses. The House with the most points for the year gets early access, extra pizza, and an entire snack tent to themselves. Every student, regardless of House, gets to enjoy the party.
House Points gives the Maranatha community countless opportunities for celebration and community-building. Students grow closer with their Houses, but the system also enables students to get to know all staff and staff to get to know all students.
Suddenly, students are actively seeking out different teachers and staff, and the non-instructional staff is now interacting with students regularly. So not only has it built camaraderie between students, the Houses have built camaraderie across the community. That camaraderie is built on good deeds, togetherness, and kindness.
We can quantify Maranatha’s usage of LiveSchool, the points they’ve awarded, and the LiveSchool points students have spent. But we simply cannot put a number on community, confidence, and authenticity.
“How are we teaching kindness to our students?”
A parent came into Kelly Rodriguez's office one day and asked that. Kelly, who is the Middle School Principal at Maranatha Christian Schools, first thought, “well of course we are.”
But as she reflected, she realized that it wasn’t being taught in a codified way besides certain lesson plans or in-the-moment interactions. Kelly set out to change this, which brought her to House Points.
Kelly Rodriguez received her B.A. in Journalism from Point Loma Nazarene University in San Diego. After working in journalism for several years, Kelly decided to return to the school that ministered to her throughout her education, Calvary Chapel. It is where she taught English Literature for twelve years while maintaining the role of ASB Advisor, Vice Principal of Staff and Curriculum. In June 2018, Kelly moved to San Diego and joined the MCS family where she served as the Director of Curriculum and Instruction for three years before becoming Junior High Principal. Kelly currently holds a California Teaching Credential and a Masters from Concordia University in Curriculum and Instruction. Mrs. Rodriguez has a passion for finding victory in Christ as we daily strive to be His disciples. She is always working towards building a community of believers who are proud to work together as we do our best in all that we were given!
“How are we teaching kindness to our students?”
A parent came into Kelly Rodriguez's office one day and asked that. Kelly, who is the Middle School Principal at Maranatha Christian Schools, first thought, “well of course we are.”
But as she reflected, she realized that it wasn’t being taught in a codified way besides certain lesson plans or in-the-moment interactions. Kelly set out to change this, which brought her to House Points.
“How are we teaching kindness to our students?”
A parent came into Kelly Rodriguez's office one day and asked that. Kelly, who is the Middle School Principal at Maranatha Christian Schools, first thought, “well of course we are.”
But as she reflected, she realized that it wasn’t being taught in a codified way besides certain lesson plans or in-the-moment interactions. Kelly set out to change this, which brought her to House Points.
“How are we teaching kindness to our students?”
A parent came into Kelly Rodriguez's office one day and asked that. Kelly, who is the Middle School Principal at Maranatha Christian Schools, first thought, “well of course we are.”
But as she reflected, she realized that it wasn’t being taught in a codified way besides certain lesson plans or in-the-moment interactions. Kelly set out to change this, which brought her to House Points.
“How are we teaching kindness to our students?”
A parent came into Kelly Rodriguez's office one day and asked that. Kelly, who is the Middle School Principal at Maranatha Christian Schools, first thought, “well of course we are.”
But as she reflected, she realized that it wasn’t being taught in a codified way besides certain lesson plans or in-the-moment interactions. Kelly set out to change this, which brought her to House Points.
Every day, the LiveSchool Vision becomes reality.
