Asst. Principal: Accentuate the Positive

Nearly three dozen Coginchaug Regional High School students have been recognized for exhibiting District 13's Core Ethical Values of respect, responsibility, honesty, kindness and courage this school year.

In September, assistant principal Brian Bodner launched a positive referral program as a way of rewarding students for the positive impact they have on classmates and the district as a whole.

"We wanted to give kids positive recognition day-to-day," says Bodner, who like most assistant principals spends much of his time serving as the school's disciplinarian. "It's really about recognizing the things we'd ordinarily walk by."

Bodner says students have been recognized for a wide range of acts, including cheering on teammates and opponents at the finish line of a cross-country race, helping to clean up the school cafeteria and even correcting an incorrect test score.

"Sometimes it's a deliberate act, but sometimes it's just something a faculty or staff member sees," he says.

Faculty and staff members who witness students practicing the core values of the district are asked to fill out a positive recognition slip which highlights the student's effort. So far, Bodner says, 34 students have been recognized.

"We recognize that we can't see or hear about all of the wonderful things that our students do for others, but we want to acknowledge those acts that are brought to our attention," explains Bodner, who also sends a letter home to parents describing the details of the good deed.