How do you effectively communicate to staff and students and create community in a new school when construction hasn’t finished, but classes have started? That was the problem facing Oak Pointe Elementary School’s first principal, Jim Stephens. OPES welcomed staff and students its inaugural year without having finished construction, and Mr. Stephens needed a way to reach students and start building the OPES culture. His solution…bring the entire school (staff and students) to the center of the building that first Friday and have a quick meeting to share important information, celebrate student and staff achievements and start the day off on a positive note. It turns out that he liked the “Friday Morning Meeting” so much that he just continued the gathering times each Friday even after it was no longer logistically necessary.
There have been a few changes to the format and what is communicated during the meetings, but this time has remained a unique and integral part of the Oak Pointe culture and experience. Each Friday different students lead everyone in the school chant, sing the National Anthem, share announcements and jokes and find other ways to show off their talents and demonstrate their leadership skills. School administration is able to share and highlight upcoming events and projects, and there is a place to recognize all the wonderful accomplishments of staff and students. Classes are chosen for their achievements in Related Arts, high attendance rates and doing their best to keep the school safe and clean. Staff recognize each other for being great colleagues and educators. This year, the school has been able to publicly honor a student who earned perfect scores on the 2024 SCReady Test, celebrate the Run Hard team, and welcome parents and family members who are First Responders or Military Veterans. Those are just a few examples of individuals and groups the school has been able to celebrate, and there is a long list of others who will receive recognition this year.
For faculty, staff and students at “The Best School Ever”, Friday Morning Meetings provide a short time within the week to step outside the classroom and have fun and celebrate as a whole school community. They sing, chant, cheer and dance together. They honor the great PALs within the building and in the community, and they continue a tradition that began at the very beginning of Oak Pointe.
