Schertz- Cibolo- Universal City ISD’s Sippel Elementary School greets visitors with an combustible mix of colors, passion and unity that is creating an explosion of academic and healthy social-emotional growth, thanks in large part to the Ron Clark Academy House System.
Melissa Dean brought the idea to Sippel ES during COVID to share with her fourth grade students and fellow teachers on her grade level. “She would do these House games on Friday via Zoom,” explained Claire Bristow, Sippel ES principal. “They would be in their colors, and it caught on like wildfire. We decided to implement it campus-wide the following year.” Schertz Elementary School then became the second SCUC campus to incorporate the House System.
This program has four houses, each representing different characteristics and sporting its individual color. Each House has unique properties such as its own color, symbols, nation of heritage and history. Handwritten student testimonials attest to the impact of the House System at Sippel Elementary School that has fostered a sense of camaraderie and accountability for all. “It means I truly am a part of a school family,” wrote one student. Another unsigned letter seems to have crystallized the multiplying force for good. “The House System means to me that it reminds people to have courage, dream, be friendly, and give to people.”
By Sloan Patterson, Texas State University
