Culture & Character

We believe that when our students are done with school and enter adult life, they will be judged for the rest of their life not by their performance on tests of basic skills, but by the quality of their work and the quality of their character.

What is the goal of Amana's Culture & Character program?

The Amana Academy culture and character program provides an integrated and multilayered approach to fostering and celebrating the development of intellect and ethical character for all community members. The goal is to cultivate lifelong learners who value stewardship, advocacy, and service.

What are key facets of the program?

Daily Crew Meetings

• At Amana, Crew meetings are a crucial part of each student & staff member's day every morning. Daily Crew Meeting is an opportunity for students to build caring relationships with their peers and teachers, to actively participate and practice social and emotional skills through engaging activities, and to feel valued and connected to the school community.
• During Crew, students will learn to greet and speak to each other respectfully, listen attentively and respond with empathy, and approach interpersonal conflicts calmly and assertively. These skills are essential for academic achievement as well as character development. When students begin their day with Crew, this boosts confidence, reinforces positive behaviors, and sets the tone for their learning throughout the day.
• The structure of Crew - daily meetings to support everyone’s learning and growth - makes time for students to build meaningful relationships with their community, peers and Crew leader, to reflect on and monitor academic progress, and to focus on character development. Crew is also an engine for equity and inclusion, a place where all students feel they belong and can succeed.

Weekly Community Circle

• Community Circle is a weekly gathering of students, teachers, and parent/community members. Part pep rally, part assembly, Community Circle gives our students the opportunity to share out their learning and experiences that week, and learn from their peers. Amana will often have experts in a certain field as well share their real-world experience. This practice takes place on Fridays and is divided among Elementary and Middle School.

House System

• The house system is a traditional feature of schools that originated in England. In school house systems throughout the world the school is divided into subunits called 'houses' and each student is allocated to one house at the moment of enrollment. Through Houses students and teachers alike become spirited team members who care about each other and take ownership for their actions. The overall goal for our students and staff members to flourish in a inclusive community that appreciates diversity, builds character, citizen scholars and outstanding advocates.
• The fundamental purpose of these house system is to portion Amana Academy into smaller communities that promote both learning and loyalty to the school overall. At our school the house system is the overarching program that ties our culture and character program together (crew and counseling). It requires parents, students and staff to be active contributors to their houses and the school at large.
• At Amana Academy, students are inducted into one of four Houses: Earth, Life, Wind, or Light.

PBIS (Positive Behavior Interventions & Supports)

• The Amana Academy Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS) framework fosters and promotes a safe and positive school environment that enhances student learning through teaching and recognizing positive student behavior.
• PBIS is a research-based methodology to have been proven to significantly reduce the occurrence of problem behaviors, and promote a positive school climate. The structure of PBIS includes using a proactive/preventative approach to support students to learn and follow school wide expectations.

• Our High-Five Habits (Respect, Responsibility, Courage, Compassion, and Perseverance) play a crucial role in how every member of our Amana community interacts with each other. Our Amana staff and students strive to live by these habits whether in their classrooms, walking through the hallways, collaborating with peers, or while eating lunch in the cafeteria.