Saintly Solutions Christian Behavior

At St. Edward on-the-Lake Elementary School, we are blessed to be able to truly utilize each moment of discipline as a teaching moment, pointing to Jesus, Mary and the Saints as the best behavioral role models.

His book, Saintly Solutions, inspired me to create and implement a school wide positive Christian behavior recognition program titled "Saintly Solutions Christian Behavior" recognition program.

Any adult in our school building, or affiliated with our school community (Administration, Teachers, Bus Drivers, maintenance Staff, Parents, Volunteers) will always be on the lookout for our wonderful St. Edward students and any outstanding "Saintly Solutions or Christian Behaviors" they may display throughout the school day. Because immediate praise has been researched as so beneficial, adults will award students displaying outstanding Saintly and Christian behavior with a Saintly Solutions Slip.

Adults put the students name on this slip, and check off the spiritual or corporal work of mercy that best categorizes the type of Saintly Solution or Christian Behavior the student was displaying. This slip can then be put into a school wide raffle that occurs at the end of every week.

A student slip from each classroom will be pulled. Students who are pulled in the raffle earn a special Holy Card and are recognized at school-wide morning prayer.

At the end of the month, any student who earned a slip at any point will also be able to enter a school wide raffle. One student from each grade will be drawn again and these students will earn a special order-in McDonald's Lunch with the Principal.

Finally, the students who earn lunch will be entered in one final raffle for the chance to win one of Father Joe Esper's books "Saintly Solutions" to take home as a gift for their family.

While our students are taught that Saintly Solutions should be utilized simply because it is what Jesus wants us to do; to always treat others the way we want to be treated and always strive for holiness, and not just to earn rewards...in these forming years, I believe it is important to give positive re-affirming praise when we see students acting in outstanding Christian ways and using Saintly Solutions to every day challenging circumstances.

All adult role models in the building pointing out and recognizing students Christian and Saintly behavior, as you know, also nurtures our children's souls and understanding of the very significant role each of us has in building God's Kingdom as the body of Christ.

Thank Heaven we are a Catholic, Christ- centered community, and in place of the term "positive peer pressure" we can utilize the term and behavior recognition program to teach as Jesus did, and encourage the idea, that we are a communion of saints, and that we all need to support and pray for one another as we actively seek our ultimate goals of always striving for holiness and eternal life.

St. Edward on-the-Lake Elementary School
We are the Lakers, Keepers of God's Creation
6995 Lakeshore Road, Lakeport, MI 48059
ph. (810) 385-4461 fax (810)385-6070
stedwardschool@hotmail.com