David Broyles | The News
Westfield Elementary School students Molly Gilley, Mykayla Lindley, Emily Sechrist and Sabrina Price concentrate on making what the girls called tepee cakes and pyramid cakes out of sand at Riverside Park Tuesday. A total of 246 participated in a Wildcat Club day at the park.
David Broyles | The News
Westfield Elementary School held its first Wildcat Club day of the school year at Riverside Park in Mount Airy on Tuesday. Students get to participate in the event by earning points for good behavior in the first nine weeks of school. Trinity Stroud, Beatriz Gomez, Barbara Key and Kailey Myers seem to enjoy walking the nature trail.
David Broyles | The News
Westfield Elementary School student Kyler Jessup races in to get the ball and tag another classmate during a game of skunk ball at Riverside Park in Mount Airy. Six stations of activities were set up in the park for students at Wildcat Club day.
Westfield Elementary School students who had shown positive behavior in the first nine weeks of school were rewarded Tuesday with a day of activities at Riverside Park. This was the opening Wildcat Club day of the school year for students.
Spokesperson and third-grade teacher Julie Hill explained the club, formerly known as the Warriors Club, is part of the ongoing Positive Behavior Intervention Support (PBIS) program for Surry County Schools. She said students earn points with each teacher contributing unique positive behavior support in individual classrooms.
Wildcat Club activities ranged over six stations in the park. The day was held from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and a total of 246 students were transported to the event in four buses. Hill said the prekindergarten classes are separate from the club activities but do have their own behavior support program.
Traditionally, a total of four club days are held by the school with off-campus activities on the first and third quarters and on-campus events such as movie night held on the second and fourth quarters.
“We are creative with our resources,” said Hill. “We only have the cost of the buses. This is their (the students) favorite trip. This is more of a school-wide activity as opposed to individual teachers deciding what they do for this program in their classrooms.” She said Westfield students are reminded every morning to be Respectful, Orderly, Attentive and Responsible (ROAR).
“I enjoy rewarding them for good behavior,” added Hill. Students who were accompanying her on the nature trail walk had taken notice of stacks of rocks placed in the center of a stream.
“That’s just awesome,” said third-grade student Tyson Tilley. “I’ve done all of these (club days). I like every one of them.”
Fifth-grade student Ian Dollyhite is a veteran of the club days. He said he has participated in seven of them.
“I’ve pretty much attended all of these we have had,” said Dollyhite. “I like them all the same. I don’t have a favorite.”
Dollyhite also appeared to have the strategy down for Wildcat Club. He said that earning good behavior points early in the school year is easier.
“I’ve never had a (bad) mark in three years in a row,” said Dollyhite. “I look forward to every one of them. You get to be yourself and it’s fun.”
The students will next gear up for the annual fourth- and fifth-grade Parent Teacher Organization program at the school. Spokesperson Sherry Collins, who coordinates the program, said the theme for this year’s program is Wild, Wild West. She explained students will wear cowboy hats and bandannas.
Collins added that the program will feature a live band and square dancing in addition to the student dances and musical performances. The PTO program is scheduled for Nov. 1 from 1 to 7 p.m. at Westfield Elementary. She also said students will perform a dramatic rendition of the song “Streets of Laredo.” Admission is free to the public.
Reach David Broyles at dbroyles@heartlandpublications.com or 719-1952.
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