La Mesa Junior High School officials announced Tuesday the school has received a “Capturing Kids’ Hearts National Showcase Schools” award for the 2018-2019 school year from the Flippen Group. 

“We are tremendously excited,” said Michele Krantz, the school’s principal. “It affirms the good work that our teachers have been doing.”

Four years ago, La Mesa Junior High School began an initiative to transform the campus into an emotionally safe and relationally connected place for students, staff, and parents, according to officials. 

“After researching programs used by some of the nation’s most successful schools, La Mesa Junior High leaders chose to join hands with the Flippen Group to bring Capturing Kids’ Hearts to its campus,” read a statement from the school.

Officials say teachers and staff learned how to increase students’ connectedness with both peers and adults on campus.

“They learned how to create a classroom environment where students are excited to enter and learn every day,” said officials.

As a result of implementing Capturing Kids’ Hearts, La Mesa Junior High officials have seen lower suspension rates, increased connectedness to school for students, and decreased bullying.

“I think people sometimes look at schools and numbers to tell their story of how well they’re doing, but while our students are succeeding were creating humans, not just mathematicians or scientists, although that’s important too,” said Krantz.

Through the Capturing Kids’ Hearts National Showcase Schools awards, the Flippen Group recognizes and celebrates campuses that go the extra mile each day, building an environment where students and staff feel safe and connected, according to officials.

Capturing Kids’ Hearts campuses across the country were considered for these awards based on the following criteria:

• nomination based on observation by Flippen Group personnel
• level of implementation of Capturing Kids’ Hearts processes by all staff as measured by online surveys
• data demonstrating that Capturing Kids’ Hearts has made a significant improvement in attendance, discipline, climate/culture, or academics. 

A Flippen Group team visited each nominated campus to gather additional quantitative and qualitative data, and to interview students, teachers, administrators, and parents, according to officials.

They used a matrix of key measurements to gather information during the campus walk-through. Finally, an additional survey was conducted to collect feedback regarding the perceived climate and culture of the campus and its conduciveness to learning.

Following this visit, the selection team reviewed all accumulated data and selected the campuses to receive the Capturing Kids’ Hearts National Showcase Schools awards. 

“One of the things that we as educators need to put an emphasis on is the socio-emotional aspect,” added Krantz. “We need to pay attention to this so that they’re more successful.”

For more information about the Capturing Kids’ Hearts National Showcase Schools awards, visit the website here.

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