K.I.Dee

Meet K.I.Dee.

K.I.Dee took a "selfie" before her phone was confiscated.

Ms. Leom had to leave the room for a "meeting with Mr. Voshell", so Ms. Prose and Mrs. Arens, two of the fourth grade teachers were telling the three classes of students about Responsibility Cards and how they work when a new student, K.I.Dee arrived ... wearing a hat, chewing gum, listening to music, texting her mom during class (including taking a selfie), and being outrageous! Ms. Prose and the students quickly took control of the situation and explained the expectations for students in fourth grade at Milaca Elementary. K.I.Dee appeared to know everything to do to earn punches: rolling her eyes, heavy sighing, turning in her assignment without her name ... and everything that could get you sent to the Planning Room to visit with Mrs. Jenson: throwing her hat, having a fit ...

Responsibility Cards are the fourth grade system to encourage responsible behavior. Students earn initials from staff for responsible choices and punches when they need a reminder. At various times (Two weeks? Four weeks? It changes every time.), students are invited to a reward. Past rewards include electronic game days, swimming, visits to Trimble ("Tank") Park, walking the trails, craft days, movies, and more!

To attend rewards, students need to:
* have their Responsibility Cards
* have "enough credit" (circles and initials)
* have all their work completed
* followed the school rules (no Severe Clauses)

After a reward, ALL students are given a new Responsibility Card, a clean slate, and start again. We have about 12-20 rewards a year!

K.I.Dee helped us learn some important details ...
* cards should be kept in the plastic pockets in the back of your planner (washing machine cycles eat Responsibility Cards and younger siblings with scissors are dangerous)
* notes from home, giving excuses for missing work, washing machines, little siblings with scissors, and more do not change the rules
* one or two punches on a Responsibility Card is not a concern. We all make mistakes.
* crying and tantrums do not change the rules
* repeated punches for the same problem (forgot your name on your paper three times in one day) can become Stop and Think 10s.
* absences and missing work FROM absences do not keep students from attending rewards

Letters went home at Open House detailing our Responsibility Card program. It is a program fourth grade has used for over a decade. It helps us prepare students for fifth grade and their bonus bucks system.

That K.I.Dee is quite the character! Ask your fourth grader to tell you all about her!