Grandville — “Four packs, one family.”
That’s the idea behind the “pack families” at Century Park Learning Center, a schoolwide initiative that started this past year to not only encourage positive behavior, but also build community across grade levels.
“So much of what we do is research-based … and feedback we got from older students (at Century Park) in years past was that they did not necessarily feel that sense of belonging,” said kindergarten teacher Hillary Huberts, one of the masterminds behind the pack families. “That was kind of a shot to the heart, as educators, because we felt like we were doing well, but obviously we needed to build more community within the building.
“We thought that by creating these packs, these intentional groups with students and staff from all through the building, hopefully that would help them build up that sense of belonging.”
At the beginning of last school year, all Century Park students were randomly sorted into four pack families, represented by both colors and a name: the Dreamers, the Innovators, the Visionaries and the Achievers. All teachers, counselors, administrators, custodians and other building staff are also part of a pack family to make sure everyone at CPLC is included.
The pack families get together once a month for team-building, like reading to a classmate, or service activities, like playground clean-up. Plus, at the end of each month, they sit together at Century Park’s monthly assemblies; after highlighting the students and staff member of the month, they play a game where each pack family competes against each other for bragging rights.
“It’s a little chaotic, and some teachers had to let go of that fear (of kids not sitting with their classes), but we’re trusting the kids and the process, and those celebrations have really evolved,” said Huberts, a member of the Dreamers. “There’s a familiarity with each other now, and since those kids will stay in their packs the entire time they’re at Century Park, that will just continue next year and in the future.”
‘This is changing the structure and the culture of the entire building.’
— kindergarten teacher Hillary Huberts
Building Young Leaders
Huberts’ idea for the pack families grew out of the school’s previous “Pack Partners,” when individual classrooms would pair up for social-emotional learning lessons and other positive-behavior activities. They did this on Wednesdays after data showed a consistent pattern of negative behavior in all grades on Wednesday afternoon.
“The week gets long and Wednesdays are rough,” said Jennifer Hazel-Worley, CPLC’s social-emotional learning support coach. “They’ve woken up from the weekend, they’re anticipating the next weekend, but they still have two more days of school.”
When students started requesting more “pack time,” school leaders decided to morph the program and bring the entire school together to hopefully tackle that issue of student belonging.
Now, with the pack families, Wednesdays are something to look forward to.
“They get to connect with kids that they don’t otherwise get to see,” said Hazel-Worley, a member of the Innovators. “They’re finding common interests and they’re proud to be part of their pack and wear their colors.”
It’s also given CPLC fourth-graders a chance to be leaders in the building, now that Grandville’s fifth and sixth grades have transitioned to Oakestown Intermediate School.
“There’s this great opportunity for mentorship because the younger kids look up to the older kids so much,” Hazel-Worley said. “For us as staff members and teachers, we can teach (behavior) expectations until we’re blue in the face, but I think it’s more valuable coming from other kids that value setting the example. Giving fourth-graders the opportunity to lead not only decreases their negative behaviors, but also improves the kindergartners because they want to be like the older kids.”
Edith Platte was one of last year’s fourth-graders who enjoyed that opportunity to lead.
“My favorite part about the pack families is helping the little kids that might just need help with some things — like, they might need help with reading or maybe even a project that we are working on,” said the rising fifth-grader who was a member of the Dreamers. “It’s kind of like you’re taking responsibility for them and it makes me feel proud of myself.”
Fellow Dreamer Josephina Hines said the best part about meeting with her pack family has been “seeing all the beautiful faces there” and “learning to be a team player.”
Josephina, a rising fourth-grader, said she’s looking forward to taking over as an elder Dreamer at CPLC this coming year.
“I remember when I was one of those little kindergartners, and it’s cool to be a big kid and being an example for the littles,” she said. “I feel like we have to be more responsible and stuff.”
Comfortable, Confident, Safe
Huberts called 2024-25 “a building year” for the pack family initiative; both she and Hazel-Worley are excited to welcome new kindergartners into the existing families this fall and keep growing on the foundation that’s been set.
For Hazel-Worley, that means continuing to foster good relationships between kids and the adults in their pack.
“We are very intentional about continuously mingling with the kids during pack time, just to be a familiar face,” she said. “Even if it’s not their teacher, we hope they’ll bond with another adult in their pack. We’re going to get to be in the same family for a few years, so we can create that sense of community. To tell them, ‘We see you,’ or, ‘We hurt when you hurt,’ that kind of thing is so important.”
Huberts, a true Dreamer in spirit as well, said she has “all these ideas (for the pack families) that I probably have to reel in,” but is excited to have the framework in place for the coming year at Century Park.
“This is changing the structure and the culture of the entire building,” Huberts said. “It’s been a long process, but we’ve gotten really good buy-in and that’s what I’m excited about.”
She added: “You’re not going to raise test scores until kids feel that they belong and have a purpose and feel comfortable and confident and safe. And so we have to build that community while we’re doing the educational part, and that’s what I believe we’re doing.”
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