House point systems encourage healthy competition and group loyalty among pupils.
It works as follows:
The school is divided into teams called “houses.” Each house will include pupils from every grade level.
Shaffer house team names are:
Honey Lake Bees (Yellow and Grey)
Eagle Lake Eagles (Orange and White)
Almanor Bobcats (Red and Black)
Crater Lake Cougars (Blue and Silver)
House ‘leaders’ or ‘captains’ are appointed.
Each pupil is allocated to a house when they join the school.
Some examples of how pupils earn house points include effort on assignments, behavior, participation, being kind, etc.
Teachers can give points in their classroom and the total points each week will be tallied up in the office where the official scoreboard will be located.
Staff will hand out special House Team Cards that are worth 10 points that students earn through their conduct. These are taken to the office when a student receives one so that a copy can be made. The original copy will be taken home for the student’s family to celebrate.
Houses compete with one another, in a variety of ways, providing a focus for teamwork and group loyalty.
At the end of the school year, the ‘winning’ house is announced and rewarded with a ‘house cup.’
Each Wednesday will be House Team Day in which students wear their house team colors.
What are the benefits of a house point system?
Using a house point system has shown to have a positive impact on motivation and behavior, as well as encouraging a sense of identity and belonging among school pupils.
These systems include all pupils, not just the highest academic achievers, and help develop a variety of skills other than academic.
A sense of camaraderie, teamwork and healthy competition is nurtured, which contributes to a thriving school culture.
For an example of house teams, you can watch Harry Potter!
