Chattanooga, Tennessee- The Rock Point Learning Community acknowledges a "Student of the Month" in four categories monthly. This program was initiated by the Rock Point Equity Committee last year to honor students who demonstrate improvement in key areas such as increased attendance, academic achievement, positive work ethic, and enhanced behavior.
Student support coaches in the Rock Point Community are responsible for identifying students excelling in these areas. They nominate students or suggest them to other faculty members for nomination.
Melanie Chalumeau, who serves on the Rock Point Committee and as Assistant Principal at Red Bank High School, expressed the motivation behind the introduction of the awards. “The awards came about because the committee wanted to promote student belonging, one of the commitments of our HCS Opportunity 2030 Strategic Plan. We wanted to celebrate students that are thriving or showing significant improvement in one of those four areas.”
The Student of the Month subcommittee reviews the nominations monthly to choose the most deserving candidate. Upon selection, arrangements are made for an award award presentation at the school, where parents are invited to celebrate their child's accomplishments.
One Rock Point Student of the Month for February was Joshua "JJ" Burnette from Lookout Valley Middle-High School. He was recognized for his academic progress and personal growth. JJ's journey highlights the significant role teachers play. He shared that he used to struggle academically and behaviorally, but with guidance from Mr. Lane, the Middle-School CTE Teacher, he successfully turned things around. Now, he aims to assist other students in a similar manner.
JJ expressed, "Last year, I faced challenges with schoolwork and behavior, but Mr. Lane inspired me to change, and I did. He supported me, and now I'm motivated to help others do the same."
Apart from recognition, students receive gift cards from Chick-fil-A and Texas Roadhouse, courtesy of local businesses' generosity.
In the future, the data subcommittee will critically analyze the program's impact on students' academic achievements to ensure that efforts continue to positively influence student outcomes as the program progresses into its first full year.