BRYANT WHOLE CHILD INITIATIVE WINS HEARTS AND MINDS

There's an old adage that goes something like: "when you speak to the heart, the mind will follow." Bryant Public Schools adopted the Capturing Kids' Hearts (CKH) program several years ago—two years before the pandemic—and the resulting changes have improved students' behavior, engaged families, and lifted academic scores. 

But CKH, as important in achieving cultural change as it is, is just one piece of the puzzle at Bryant's schools.

Director of Student Services Renee Curtis and her leadership team honed in on the importance of Social and Emotional Learning and the processes of Capturing Kids’ Hearts as they realigned student supports in response to parent feedback during their Strategic Plan development. Their Whole School, Whole Child, Whole Community Committee was formed to better address the needs of students and their families. The decision to organize the Parent Center, Hornet Health Center, school-based mental health services, nursing, and homeless programs into a well-coordinated system has put student wellness and family engagement—addressing the needs of the whole child—at the core of their operations.

The CKH program, in particular, helps schools implement everyday practices that improve communication skills, encourage positive thinking, and embed social contracts to help students with their self-motivation and management--and the formula that works is as old as time, "love your neighbor." It's a way for every student to not only feel connected to staff but to each other, to learn to resolve conflicts or differences in a healthy way, and to help prevent unchecked emotional issues from escalating.

According to Curtis, the CKH processes are designed to directly impact every aspect of a school community. Every new Bryant teacher receives CKH training as part of their orientation, plus, Curtis has developed training for food services, secretaries, transportation, nursing, and the school resource officers in their elementary, middle, and high schools.

In 2020-21, five schools in the Bryant School District were named Capturing Kids’ Hearts National Showcase Schools. These included Davis Elementary, Salem Elementary, Hurricane Creek Elementary, and Parkway Elementary. Plus, Collegeville Elementary was named a CKH Showcase two consecutive years.